EMPA
Eidgenossische Materialprufungs- und Forschungsanstalt
CH

The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) is an interdisciplinary research institute within the ETH Domain, dedicated to pioneering research in materials science and technology. As of 2024, Empa employs around 1,100 staff members, including 600 research scientists and 41 professors. Its community also includes approximately 290 PhD students. In addition to strong collaborations with Swiss research and development agencies, Empa participates in around 100 EU-funded projects and maintains close ties with industry.

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Empa’s Laboratory for Functional Polymers is equipped with advanced facilities for the synthesis and characterization of both organic and inorganic 2D materials, and their integration into energy storage systems. The lab specializes in the synthesis, printing, and coating of materials such as graphene and MXenes, with a focus on printed electronics and electrochemical energy storage systems such as supercapacitors. It also hosts the Coating Competence Centre in Dübendorf, dedicated to solution-based coating technologies. Leveraging this expertise, the laboratory will collaborate with Swistor and other NerveRepack partners to develop high-energy density supercapacitors for implantable circuits designed to transmit and receive neural signals to and from external mechatronic devices.