Recap of MATSUS24

This year’s MATSUS (Materials for Sustainable Development) conference took place from 4-8 March 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. The conference programme consisted of a combination of symposia related to basic and multidisciplinary sciences, and applied symposia with a focus on sustainable development areas.

Rebeca Marcilla from MeBattery partner IMDEA Energy co-organised the #GENBAT symposium on next-generation battery technologies towards sustainability. It focused on batteries that do not rely on toxic and/or scarce material therefore aligning to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 (affordable and clean energy) and/or SDG 13 (climate action). With 11 invited speakers and 12 oral talks, the symposium concentrated on recent research and developments in the field of the next-generation of sustainable batteries (e.g., sodium/potassium-based batteries, organic/polymer batteries, multivalent (Mg, Zn, Ca…) batteries, etc) and their impact on the future landscape of energy. Key topics such as safety, eco-design & recycling and environmental sustainability were also addressed.
With approx. 60 participants, the #GENBAT symposium was a unique opportunity for researchers, engineers and energy experts to come together in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and exchange knowledge and experience about the latest sustainable battery technologies and establish connections for future collaborations and projects.

In addition, Mario Palacios Corella from MeBattery partner IST Austria was an invited speaker to the #BAT symposium - Toward sustainable batteries based on sulfur cathodes. Among other things, the topic concentrated on new composite nanomaterials as the cathode as well as anode materials and anode-electrolyte interface engineering. Mario fitted in well among the 13 speakers with his talk on “Chemical Design of High-Entropy Chalcogenophosphate Precursors for Advanced Sulfur Battery Electrodes”. Although the symposium was rather small, it was well received by approx. 40 visitors.

MeBattery is excited of having been part of MATSUS24 and is looking forward to future opportunities to meet colleagues and friends and discuss the progress in the field.

Rebeca Marcilla with the other co-organisers of #GENBAT

Participants of the #GENBAT symposium

Rebeca Marcilla opening the symposium

Mario Palacios Corella enjoying the view