The team of the ECOBAT Project has released a new video that highlights both the people and the science behind the development of next-generation battery technologies. Created entirely by the researchers themselves, the video offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how scientists across Europe are working together to design batteries that are more sustainable, more affordable, and ready for the future.
Battery science is not always easy to explain, and one of the goals of the video was to make this complex field more accessible to a broader audience. The researchers made a conscious effort to describe their work in clear and engaging language, sharing not only the scientific ideas behind their research but also the collaborative spirit that has shaped the project over the past three years.
Filming took place over two full days and brought together researchers from KU Leuven, Université catholique de Louvain, University of Namur, and University of Bonn. The first day was hosted in the battery research laboratories of Alexandru Vlad at UCLouvain in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, where the team filmed experimental work and laboratory demonstrations. The second day continued at the Materials Engineering Department (MTM) at KU Leuven, home to the research group of Jan Fransaer, where additional scenes were recorded.
In the video, several ECOBAT researchers introduce different aspects of the project. Robert Markowski explains the overall goals of ECOBAT and the basics of how batteries work. Wouter Monnens discusses alternative battery systems based on calcium, while Taniya Purkait presents her work on anode-free batteries and coordination polymers. Johannes Ingenmey shows how computer simulations help researchers understand electrolytes, and Zhenyu Zhou talks about anode-free lithium, sodium, and potassium batteries. Pierre Beaujean explains how quantum-chemistry simulations on supercomputers allow scientists to observe what happens inside batteries at the molecular level.
What makes this video particularly special is that it was created entirely within the project team. From the initial idea and storytelling to filming, animations, and editing, every step was carried out by the researchers themselves. A very special thank you goes to Pierre Beaujean, who filmed and edited the entire video. The visualisations and animations were created by Johannes Ingenmey, while Liuba Lukina coordinated the production. The team is also grateful to the laboratories and institutions that generously opened their facilities for filming and to all the researchers who took part in the video.
As the ECOBAT project approaches its conclusion in December 2025, the video captures a moment in a unique collaboration between universities and young researchers across Europe. The team hopes it will help bring battery science closer to the public and perhaps inspire future students to explore materials engineering, chemical engineering, or chemistry and contribute to building the sustainable batteries of tomorrow.
Watch the video on YouTube.