CATRIN is interested in deepening cooperation with Israel
Nanotechnologies for sustainable energy were presented by CATRIN representatives on a joint mission of Czech research institutions to Israel, which was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic in May. In addition to a visit to Bar-Ilan University (BIU) in Tel Aviv, with which CATRIN has been cooperating, the program included, for example, tours of Israeli companies GenCell, Electreon and Israeli Electric Company in Hadera. Subsequently, CATRIN representatives also attended the Czech-Israeli University Conference in the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.
“We presented new materials we have been developing for electrical energy storage devices, especially lithium batteries. We were also able to share our experience from the cooperation we already have with our Israeli partner,” said Petr Jakubec, who attended the mission together with CATRIN Director Pavel Banáš.
CATRIN scientists are collaborating with colleagues from Bar-Ilan University in Israel and the Italian company ITELCOND on the project Transition of 2D chemistry-based supercapacitor electrode material from proof of concept to applications, which was supported by a grant of nearly €2.5 million from the European Innovation Council (EIC). Their aim is to develop a prototype supercapacitor for electrical energy storage using nitrogen-enriched graphene. It will make the supercapacitor safer, more environmentally friendly, cheaper and, above all, with a high capacity and long lifetime compared to batteries. CATRIN has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials (BINA) at Bar-Ilan University from October 2021.
The aim of the Israeli mission was to seek possible cooperation in testing and developing technologies for electric mobility or smart city solutions for the needs of Israeli and Czech municipalities. The event was attended by the leaders of major Czech research institutions (CATRIN of Palacký University, NTC at ZČU Plzeň, BIOCEV, Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics of CTU), who are already working on specific joint projects with their partners at BIU, as well as representatives of other universities and research centers (UCEEB of CTU, ÚJV Řež, VŠB-TUO, AS CR), who are looking for new partnerships. According to the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the mission to Israel will be followed by further activities that will further develop the suggested topics.
Exploiting synergies in education, research and technology transfer between the two was also the central theme of the Czech-Israeli University Conference, which took place on May 24 in the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. CATRIN Director Pavel Banáš and CATRIN-RCPTM Head Michal Otyepka attended the conference and presented the cooperation with the Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials (BINA) at Bar-Ilan University.