Degree: Doctor

Bio

Renata Costa (RC) has currently a contracted Researcher position at the Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto in Portugal. RC holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry (approved with Distinction) on the topic of ELECTRIFIED INTERFACES for ENERGY STORAGE applications. Lecturer in Porto University in several courses of ERASMUS+ SERPCHEM, Chemistry, and Biochemistry Master degree disciplines - Instrumental Analysis, Electrochemical Technology, Interfacial Electrochemistry, Laboratory of Materials and Surface Analysis, Project/Internship. Invited Lecturer/Researcher @ Santiago de Compostela University (under ERASMUS contract agreement nº UP23AC1810 and IACOBUS). RC received specific training in the Management of Scientific Units and Projects, Scientific Culture and Science Communication, Negotiation, Evaluation, and Preparation of European Applications, Innovation Management Concepts, and Practices. RC accumulates partial duties of SCIENCE MANAGEMENT@IMS/CIQUP RG4 (funding acquisition, Project Management, Science Communication, Data Management Plans, selection of HR). RC integrates the EUGLOH High Education network and EIT Climate KIC network-a Knowledge and Innovation Community working to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon, climate-resilient society (among others). 32 published papers (1 Conference paper), 1 book chapter, in peer-reviewed journals (>10 as CA, h-index 14, 726 citations Scopus). Most Cited paper: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2008.05.014 (137 citations). Speaker of 35 talks (50 % invited), author/co-author 25 conference posters. Supervisor/co-supervisor /mentoring of 1 Post-Doc, 3 Ph.D., 3 MSc, 7 BSc thesis, and 6 scientific initiations. Active role in Legal Proceedings occurring at Universidade do Porto, Invited Editor@Open Access Journal. Invited Researcher @ Claude Bernard University in France (1st semester 2018/May 2022). Co-organizer o SPERTUS U.Porto/Madrid Transição Energética e Competitividade Industrial Oct 2022/Jun2023, a platform for debate and reflection on ENERGY TRANSITION. 

Projects
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Publications
Showing 5 latest publications. Total publications: 39
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1. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Challenges in Evaluating Emerging Battery Technologies: A Review, , RB; Costa Renata, B in MATERIALS, 2025, ISSN: 1996-1944,  Volume: 18, 
Review,  Indexed in: authenticus, crossref, scopus, wos  P-01A-4RS
Abstract As the demand for more efficient energy storage solutions grows, emerging battery chemistries are being developed to complement or potentially replace conventional lithium-ion technologies. This review explores the circular economy potential of sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and aluminum (Al) battery systems as alternative post-lithium configurations. Through a comparative literature analysis, it identifies key barriers related to material complexity, recovery efficiency, and regulatory gaps, while highlighting opportunities for design improvements and policy alignment to enhance sustainability across battery life cycles. However, end-of-life (EoL) material recovery remains constrained by complex chemistries, low technology readiness levels, and fragmented regulatory frameworks. Embedding materials/battery design principles, transparent life cycle assessment (LCA) data (e.g., publishing LCAs in open repositories using a standard functional unit), and harmonized policy early could close material loops and transform the rising post-lithium battery stream into a circular-economy resource rather than a waste burden.
2. Unlocking the power of amorphous TiO<sub>2</sub>-decorated biocarbon composite: Enhanced photocatalytic performance for crystal violet dye degradation, Brandao, ATSC; Rosoiu State, S; Costa, R Enache, LB; Mihai, GV; Vazquez, JA; Valcarcel, J; Anicai, L; Enachescu, M; Pereira, CM in JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING, 2025, ISSN: 2214-7144,  Volume: 71, 
Article,  Indexed in: crossref, scopus, wos  DOI: 10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.107288 P-018-8NR
Abstract This study presents a comprehensive investigation of the morphological and photocatalytic properties of electrochemically synthesized titanium dioxide (TiO2), both in its amorphous (non-calcined) and crystalline (calcinated) forms and its composite with biomass-derived carbon (TiO2@C). The TiO2 materials were synthesized using a deep eutectic solvent (DES)-based electrochemical method, and their properties were compared with commercial TiO2 nano-powder (TiO2_NP). Characterization techniques such as BET, SEM/EDX, XRD, Raman, ATR-FTIR, and XPS were employed to elucidate the structural, textural, and surface chemical properties of the materials. The amorphous TiO2 (TiO2@DES) exhibited significantly higher surface area and pore volume compared to commercial TiO2, while the calcined TiO2 (TiO2@DES_400) displayed enhanced crystallinity with an anatase structure. The TiO2@C composite was prepared via an in-situ decoration of biomass-derived carbon during the TiO2 electrochemical synthesis. This resulted in a material with a high specific surface area (2214 m(2) g(-1)) and porous structure. This composite demonstrated superior photocatalytic performance for the degradation of crystal violet dye under both UV and visible light irradiation, achieving degradation efficiencies of similar to 98 % after 5 h. The TiO2@C composite was further applied to degrade wastewater from leather dye processing, demonstrating its efficacy in real-world applications. These results underscore the potential of the TiO2@C composite as a sustainable and high-performance photocatalyst for environmental remediation, particularly in wastewater treatment.
3. Shellfish biowaste-derived carbon architectures as renewably sourced cathode materials for Lithium-Sulfur batteries, Bowman, D; Brandao, ATSC; State, S; Costa, R Enachescu, M; Enache, LB; Pereira, CM McNulty, D in JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES, 2025, ISSN: 0378-7753,  Volume: 649, 
Article,  Indexed in: crossref, scopus, unpaywall, wos  DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.237406 P-018-WTA
Abstract With the rapidly increasing demand for sustainable battery systems comes the need for environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and scalable material production. The reutilisation of biomass waste as precursors for carbonaceous materials shows promise in tackling some of these issues, especially when considered as sulfur hosts for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. In this work, amorphous, porous carbon particles are produced through the facile carbonisation of glycogen derived from the industrial wastewater stream of the mussel cooking process. The influence of carbonisation time on the structural and molecular properties of the carbon particles is investigated using gas absorption analysis, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The application of these shellfish waste glycogen-derived carbons as sulfur host materials for Li-S batteries is detailed for the first time, including galvanostatic cycling and cyclic voltammetry. Specific charge values obtained in this study are greater than many reported values for carbons prepared from other biomass sources including rice husks and peanut shells. This work highlights the possibility to derive low-cost, sustainable sulfur host materials with promising electrochemical performance from shellfish materials which are currently considered to be waste products.
4. Electrochemical immunosensor for point-of-care detection of soybean Gly m TI allergen in foods, Dias, C; Costa, J; Mafra, I; Fernandes, D; Brandao, ATSC Silva, AF Pereira, CM Costa, R in TALANTA, 2024, ISSN: 0039-9140,  Volume: 268, 
Article,  Indexed in: scopus, wos, crossref  DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.125284 P-00Z-8D1
Abstract Soybean is a legume with high technological functionality, commonly used by the food industry as an ingredient in different products. However, soybean is an allergenic food whose undeclared presence in processed foods may represent a public health risk. In this work, it was developed an efficient electrochemical immunosensor, targeting the soybean trypsin inhibitor (Gly m TI) allergen using commercial anti-Gly m TI IgG, aiming at detecting/quantifying minute amounts of soybean in different food formulations. For this purpose, model mixtures of different foods (sausages, cooked-hams, biscuits) were prepared to contain known amounts of soybean protein isolate (100,000-0.1 mg kg(-1)) and submitted to specific thermal treatments (autoclaving, oven-cooking, baking). The electrochemical immunosensor allowed quantifying down to 0.1 mg kg(-1) of soybean in the three food matrices, raw and processed (0.0012 mg of Gly m TI/kg of matrix). Accordingly, the immunosensor is suitable for detecting traces of soybean in raw, processed, and complex foods, thus protecting 99 % of soybean-allergic patients.
5. Marine waste derived carbon materials for use as sulfur hosts for Lithium-Sulfur batteries, Forde, R; State, S Costa, R Enache, LB; Enachescu, M; Pereira, CM Geaney, H; Mcnulty, D; Brandao, ATSC; Bowman, D; Ryan, KM in BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY, 2024, ISSN: 0960-8524,  Volume: 406, 
Article,  Indexed in: crossref, scopus, wos  DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131065 P-010-NJE
Abstract Lithium-sulfur batteries are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries as they can potentially offer significantly increased capacities and energy densities. The ever-increasing global battery market demonstrates that there will be an ongoing demand for cost effective battery electrode materials. Materials derived from waste products can simultaneously address two of the greatest challenges of today, i.e., waste management and the requirement to develop sustainable materials. In this study, we detail the carbonisation of gelatin from blue shark and chitin from prawns, both of which are currently considered as waste biproducts of the seafood industry. The chemical and physical properties of the resulting carbons are compared through a correlation of results from structural characterisation techniques, including electron imaging, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and nitrogen gas adsorption. We investigated the application of the resulting carbons as sulfur-hosting electrode materials for use in lithium-sulfur batteries. Through comprehensive electrochemical characterisation, we demonstrate that value added porous carbons, derived from marine waste are promising electrode materials for lithium-sulfur batteries. Both samples demonstrated impressive capacity retention when galvanostatically cycled at a rate of C/5 for 500 cycles. This study highlights the importance of looking towards waste products as sustainable feeds for battery material production.