Design and synthesis of bulk-active polymeric organic electrocatalysts for efficient electroorganic synthesis

Project Information

PolyElectroCAT

Grant agreement ID: 101116071

DOI

10.3030/101116071

EC signature date 2 October 2023

Start date 1 February 2024

End date 31 January 2029

Funded under

• European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

€ 1 500 000,00

EU contribution

€ 1 500 000,00

Coordinated by

CHALMERS TEKNISKA HOGSKOLA AKTIEBOLAG
Sweden

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PolyElectroCAT (Design and synthesis of bulk-active polymeric organic electrocatalysts for efficient electroorganic synthesis)

Reporting period: 2024-02-01 to 2026-07-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The European Green Deal is the European Union’s roadmap to make Europe climate-neutral and resource-efficient. It includes making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels). While some sectors, such as transportation, have made rapid progress towards decarbonization by deploying electric vehicles, the European chemical industry (>150 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year) lags behind in achieving its goals for a carbon-neutral future. One reason for the slower pace of decarbonization and the achievement of climate goals is the lack of carbon-neutral chemical processes to produce chemicals and materials at scale.
The ERC Starting Grant project PolyElectroCAT (101116071) develops new electrode materials for sustainable electrochemical synthesis, supporting the transition toward lower-carbon chemical manufacturing. The project focuses on designing and evaluating advanced electrode materials that enable chemical transformations driven by electricity. The research aims to establish a new class of electrode materials for electrosynthesis and to expand the capabilities of electrochemical processes beyond those achievable with conventional electrode technologies. By improving the efficiency and selectivity of electrically driven chemical reactions, the project seeks to contribute to more sustainable production methods with reduced environmental impact and lower waste generation. Overall, PolyElectroCAT is advancing fundamental knowledge and the development of materials for next-generation electrochemical manufacturing technologies.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Research activities were initiated across all project work packages. New electrode materials were designed, synthesized, and characterized, and their electrochemical properties were evaluated. Initial studies demonstrated that these materials can participate in targeted electrochemical transformations and show promise for use in sustainable electrochemical synthesis.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The project has established key methodologies for materials development and electrochemical evaluation, providing a strong foundation for future work. Early results indicate that the developed electrode materials offer a promising platform for advancing electrosynthetic technologies and may enable improved efficiency and selectivity compared with conventional approaches.