High-Temperature Thermal Energy Storage for Better Utilization of Renewable Energy (HOTBOX)

Research Project, 2024 – 2027

Sweden tops the share of energy coming from renewable sources in the European Union. Renewable energy is clean and safe, however, the energy that can be extracted from renewables vary both temporally and spatially. This project contributes to more efficient and more flexible utilization of renewable energies in Sweden. Specifically, the project aims to develop innovative coating materials on top of the metallic vessel materials that are used for molten aluminum alloy-based high-temperature thermal energy storage. Metals are preferred vessel materials due to their high toughness, excellent formability and low cost, but they face a formidable challenge when it comes to corrosion from molten aluminum alloys. Here we will use an innovative alloying concept, to design refractory high-entropy alloys as coating materials for the metallic vessel materials, with excellent high-temperature mechanical properties and corrosion resistance to molten aluminum alloys, integrating both experimental studies and theoretical predictions based on physical metallurgy principles and computational thermodynamics. The successful implementation of the project will bring unprecedented scientific understanding to the research of compositionally complex refractory high-entropy alloys, and lead to the development of novel coating materials for high-temperature thermal energy storage, with a huge impact to improve the efficiency and utilization flexibility for renewable energy in Sweden.