Durham University is part of a new £7m research programme investigating whether energy storage can be built directly into the materials used in everyday products.
The five-year project, known as EleComp, brings together Durham, Imperial College London and the University of Bristol. It is backed by an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Programme Grant and aims to develop multifunctional materials that combine structural performance with energy storage.
How structural batteries could work
Most products currently rely on separate batteries that have to be housed, protected and connected to the surrounding structure. EleComp will examine a different model: materials that can help form an object while also storing energy.
In future applications, that approach could allow vehicle body panels, aircraft components and consumer products to perform a structural role and store energy at the same time. Researchers say lighter and more resource-efficient designs could result, although developing materials that are both strong and effective at storing energy presents major scientific challenges.
The team will study how structural electrodes, electrolytes and material interfaces can be designed to balance mechanical strength with electrochemical performance. The programme will also develop manufacturing, testing and modelling methods to support possible future applications.
Durham’s role in the programme
Dr Natasha Shirshova from Durham’s Department of Engineering is coordinating the university’s work. Durham researchers in Engineering and Chemistry will lead the development of key materials for structural batteries, including advanced structural electrolytes and next-generation electrodes designed to combine strength with energy storage.
The university’s researchers will also investigate how those materials interact and develop testing methods capable of assessing their mechanical and electrochemical performance simultaneously.
Durham will additionally help create a sustainable roadmap for the responsible adoption of the technology across industry and beyond. Its Anthropology department will coordinate collaborations between the disciplines and stakeholders involved, supporting research into responsible innovation and the wider social questions raised by multifunctional materials.
Potential uses beyond batteries
Structural energy storage materials have received growing international attention. The World Economic Forum identified them as one of its leading emerging technologies in 2025, according to Durham University.
The technology could eventually support developments in transport, aerospace, consumer electronics, healthcare and infrastructure. By combining several functions in one material, the researchers hope to reduce material use and improve efficiency.
The EleComp project is led by Imperial College London. Durham’s wider team includes Dr Karen Johnston from the Department of Chemistry and Dr Felix Ringel from the Department of Anthropology. The project will also examine how multifunctional materials could affect the design and use of future technologies.