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Discovering New Dual and Triple Atom Catalysts

Project description

Dual- and triple-atom catalysts pave the way for more efficient industrial chemical technologies

Catalysts increase the rate of chemical reactions and form the backbone of many industrial processes. However, the unfavourable linear scaling relationships of the reaction intermediates, lack of catalyst selectivity and high costs of precious metals decrease the efficiency of many chemical reactions. Employing catalysts consisting of two or three atoms provides a possible route to circumventing these limitations while also lifting the constraints of single-atom catalysts. The EU-funded DETECT project will target the electrochemical production of hydrogen peroxide, CO2 reduction to fuels and chemicals, and ammonia synthesis through the use of dual- and triple-atom catalysts. The new catalysts are expected to be more energy efficient and selective, thereby facilitating a number of 'dream reactions' of modern catalysis research.

Objective

The central goal of DETECT is to discover and establish new fundamental insight into the catalytic activity of duel and triple atom catalysts.

Many chemical reactions – several related to securing a wider penetration of renewable energy – are not viable today due to a number of limitations of traditional catalysts including unfavorable scaling relations of intermediates, lack of selectivity, and cost and availability of precious metals. Employing catalysts consisting of only two or three atoms offers a possible route to circumvent these limitations, while also lifting the constraints of current single atom catalysts and opening the possibility of catalyzing more complex reactions that may require more than a single atom to proceed. This proposal will target electrochemical hydrogen peroxide formation, CO2 reduction to fuels and chemicals, and ammonia synthesis. The dual and triple atom catalysts will be developed in an interactive feedback loop involving computation, synthesis, characterization and activity testing. The dual and triple atom catalysts will be created using a cluster source with time-of-flight based mass filter, which enables even synthesis of dual and triple atoms catalyst with more than one elements - something that are virtually unexplored for catalysis. Further, this synthesis method will produce well-defined catalysts that can be characterized on the atomic level, which is essential for comparing with computational predictions in the feedback loop.

DETECT could open for more energy efficient and more selective catalysts that could facilitate a number of ‘Dream Reactions’ for which we have no viable catalyst today. Not least in the field of transforming our current fossil fuel based society, new catalysts are desperately needed to ensure a greater penetration of sustainable energy.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2020-COG

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Host institution

DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 2 000 000,00
Address
ANKER ENGELUNDS VEJ 101
2800 KONGENS LYNGBY
Denmark

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Region
Danmark Hovedstaden Københavns omegn
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 2 000 000,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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