We are proud to share that Prof. Koen Binnemans, head of the Solvomet R&I Centre, has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept Grant for the ADONIS project. This project will develop a novel method to regenerate acids and bases from waste salts produced during hydrometallurgical processes.
The ADONIS project will contribute to making the extraction and refining of battery metals, such as cobalt, nickel, and lithium, more sustainable. It focuses on reducing reagent consumption and minimizing waste generation, in line with the principles of circular hydrometallurgy. The innovative process makes use of simple inorganic reactions in concentrated salt solutions, cleverly shifting chemical equilibria towards formation of the constituent acid and base. Thermal energy from renewable resources is used as the driving force. This project builds on Koen Binnemans’s ERC Advanced Grant CIRMET (grant agreement 101093943), which also focuses on circular hydrometallurgy.
ADONIS is one of 150 projects selected to receive €150,000 in funding, helping ERC grantees bridge the gap between pioneering research results and the early stages of commercialization or societal application. The grant scheme is part of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme. Only two other KU Leuven researchers received a Proof of Concept grant from the European Research Council. More info about the grant and the full list of approved projects can be found here.
Warm congratulations to Prof. Koen Binnemans on this remarkable achievement!
