Project description
Shedding light on solar fuel
Converting sunlight into fuel is crucial, but current methods are only effective when it is sunny. Presently, photocatalytic systems solely operate during daylight hours, limiting their effectiveness. This intermittent operation hampers overall efficiency and prevents continuous fuel production. In this context, the ERC-funded PhotoDark project spearheads a groundbreaking approach: enabling dark or persistent photocatalysis using self-assembled materials. Specifically, it aims to unveil the secrets of light-driven supramolecular polymerisation and to engineer autonomous materials capable of catalysis, even in darkness. By establishing design principles for these smart materials, the project promises groundbreaking advancements in photocatalysis and materials science, paving the way for a brighter, sustainable energy future.
Objective
The efficient conversion of solar energy into molecular fuels has been recognized as one of the grand challenges facing society today. This is motivated by the urgent need to develop affordable, reliable, sustainable modern energy as a way to address the problems arising from the burning of fossil fuels and global warming. Rapid progress is being made in the development of photocatalytic systems that use directly solar light to produce fuels but do so only during daylight. This is a significant oversight, as the overall processes are inefficient due to the intermittent nature of the solar energy source. The next frontier in energy conversion, and the key objective of my proposal, are smart materials that perform photocatalysis under irradiation and, in addition, can trap and concentrate (sun)light to then use it for catalysis under low or no illumination. To achieve this ambitious goal, TENEBRIS aims to develop an unprecedented strategy to enable dark or persistent photocatalysis by using self-assembled materials. TENEBRIS will (i) provide missing insights into light-driven supramolecular polymerization, (ii) deliver smart, autonomous and transient self-assembled materials that perform photocatalysis also under dark, and (iii) establish design principles to be generally applicable for tailor-made (nano)materials with functions unattainable through conventional methods. The fundamental outcomes of this research will lead to non-incremental advances in various chemical research areas (photocatalysis, out-of-equilibrium supramolecular chemistry, and materials science and engineering) and to a substantial impact beyond them.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels renewable energy solar energy
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis photocatalysis
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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.
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.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2022-STG
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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.
35122 Padova
Italy
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.