Rafael Pinto won the European Upcell Young Scientist Award 2026. Solid battery has better performance and efficiency.
Created a sustainable lithium batterysolid-state and 3D printed, and won the 2026 Upcell Young Scientist Award.
Rafael Pinto is a PhD candidate in Materials Engineering at the University of Minho. Won this European prize of 1,000 euros for young people with innovative contributions and strong industrial potential in the energy sector.
The battery has better performance and efficiency and with applications in medical devices or portable electronics, among others.
Four years were dedicated to his doctoral thesis, especially in the laboratories of the Physics Center and the Chemistry Center of the UMinho School of Sciences, in Braga.
The sustainable, printed, solid-state lithium battery was developed through materials optimization of the cathode, anode and separator for printing by direct ink writing.
Thus, it is possible to print the solid separator directly on the cathode (increases device performance) and create customized architectures based on 3D drawing.
Rafael explains, in a statement: “The technology improves the interface between components, facilitates the movement of ions, creates batteries with different formats and uses more sustainable materials, pointing to applications in niches such as microelectronics, where adaptation to the format is critical”.
This innovation also allows practically zero waste, responsible choice of materials and significant reduction in the use of liquid electrolytes (they are toxic and flammable), thus contributing to safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly batteries.
According to Rafael Pinto, the new battery can be used in portable, medical and wearable devices.
