EleComp: Electric Composites
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Imagine a world without discrete batteries – instead, electrical energy is stored intrinsically in the structural material of a car, plane, building, laptop, etc. Electric Composites (EleComp) is a five-year, £7.5m programme grant from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UKRI5281), focussed on the development of structural power composites which have the ability to simultaneously carry mechanical loads and store electrical energy. The key here is not simply to bind two disparate components together, but to produce a single coherent material that inherently performs both roles. Structural power composites are expected to impact everyday life as we seek to generate, store and consume energy differently.
The programme will benefit from a highly creative and interdisciplinary approach amongst the core project team, led by Imperial College London and partnered by the University of Durham, and University of Bristol, in collaboration with leading international experts. A network of industrial partners will contribute to the project, and help to develop the outputs, building on concept demonstrators designed during the programme.
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