Rafael Pinto, PhD student in Materials Engineering at EEUM, won the Upcell Young Scientist Award 2026 for developing a sustainable, solid-state, 3D-printed lithium battery that has improved performance and efficiency and with applications ranging from medical devices to portable electronics.
This is a European award that recognizes young researchers with innovative contributions and high potential for industrial impact in the area of energy. The distinction was awarded during the Upcell Alliance Lisboa 2026, held on April 8th and 9th, an event that brought together experts and reference entities in the battery technology sector.
“It’s a very good feeling. It represents the recognition of the work developed in the last four years, within the scope of my doctoral thesis entitled Two and Three-Dimensional Sustainable Solid-State Printed Batteries for Portable Electronic Devices”, said Rafael Pinto. According to the researcher, “the relevance of this award is reflected in the recognition by renowned institutions in the area of batteries and the impact that this research can have on the production chain, particularly in more specific application niches”.
Born in Braga, Rafael Pinto is a PhD student in Materials Engineering and develops his research project at the Physics and Chemistry Centers of the School of Sciences of the University of Minho (ECUM). His entire academic career was carried out at this institution, having started with a degree in Environmental Sciences, followed by a master’s degree in Environmental Sciences and Technologies – Energy branch. He is currently developing his PhD, where he deepens the study of energy storage systems.
The research focuses on the development of a sustainable, printed, solid-state lithium battery by optimizing the cathode, anode and separator materials for Direct Ink Writing printing. This approach allowed to print the solid separator directly on the cathode, improving the performance of the device and enabling the creation of custom architectures based on 3D design (CAD).
According to the researcher, the technology developed makes it possible to improve the interface between components, facilitate the movement of ions, create batteries with different shapes and use more sustainable materials, pointing to applications in niches such as microelectronics, where adaptation to the format is critical.
Sustainability is also a central axis of the work, since the technique allows for practically zero waste, a more responsible choice of materials and significantly reduces the use of liquid electrolytes, which are toxic and flammable, contributing to safer and more environmentally sustainable batteries.
As for applicability, this technology can be used in wearable devices, wearables and medical devices, contributing to more efficient and sustainable solutions. The next steps of the research include optimizing performance, scaling manufacturing and getting closer to the market.
The work, funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), is supervised by Carlos M. Costa, with co-supervision by Senentxu Lanceros-Méndez and Renato Gonçalves, from the University of Minho.
The Upcell Alliance is a European association created in 2022 and headquartered in Paris (France), which already brings together more than 120 companies, universities and R&D centers in the battery value chain. It aims to strengthen Europe’s industrial autonomy in this strategic sector, where 100 battery gigafactories and more than 150 billion euros of investment are planned.
The School of Engineering congratulates Rafael Pinto for this well-deserved recognition!
SOURCE: UMINHO
