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A researcher at ������ has received significant funding for a project looking to advance sustainable battery technology.

Dr David McNulty, Associate Professor of Energy Materials and Devices at the Department of Physics and Bernal Institute, UL was awarded €475,245 in research funding as part of a project funded by the European Commission through Horizon Europe.

The title of the project is ‘High-energy, low-cost and scalable generation 5 magnesium-based batteries for mobility applications and beyond’ or ‘HighMag’. 

The four-year HighMag project aims to develop sustainable, high-performance magnesium-based batteries for mobility and other energy-intensive applications, offering a promising alternative to traditional lithium-ion technologies. 

Dr McNulty is a key partner in the project and is leading all research activities carried out at UL. Researchers within the McNulty Group will develop sustainable cathodes for magnesium–sulfur (Mg–S) batteries using porous carbon materials derived from plastic waste and biomass. 

These carbon–sulfur composites will be designed to suppress polysulfide shuttling and improve electrochemical performance through optimised porosity and the incorporation of electrocatalysts.

“This funding will allow us to explore innovative materials made from waste plastics and biomass to create carbon-sulfur cathodes for rechargeable magnesium batteries,” Dr McNulty explained. 

“Our work will focus on scalable, cost-effective solutions that align with Europe’s green energy goals and help reduce dependency on critical raw materials.”

The HighMag project brings together 13 leading academic and industry partners from across Europe and Israel to develop high-energy, low-cost, and scalable magnesium-based Generation 5 batteries. 

With the aim to drive the European battery sector toward greater sustainability, security, and strategic autonomy, HighMag will advance a new class of rechargeable magnesium batteries that promise enhanced safety, lower environmental impact, and compatibility with existing lithium-ion manufacturing infrastructure. 

UL’s contribution is centred on sustainable materials development, protective electrode coating, electrochemical optimisation and operando structural characterisation. 

Dr McNulty’s research is at the forefront of Ireland’s clean energy innovation, and this award reinforces UL’s role as a leader in advanced materials synthesis and energy storage research.