Periodic Reporting for period 1 - GlaS-A-Fuels (Single-Atom Photocatalysts Enhanced by a Self-Powered Photonic Glass Reactor to Produce Advanced Biofuels)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2024-03-01 do 2025-02-28
The increasing energy demand and the depletion of fossil-fuel reserves, threatening our energy security and the environment, have aroused intense global concern. To mitigate this, the EU aims to become climate-neutral by 2050, by targeting at the next-generation of biofuels from non-land and non-food competing bio-wastes. Butanol (BuOH), heavier alcohols and hydrogen (H2), if produced from bio-ethanol, are promising advanced biofuels due to their high energy content, long shelf-life and, in case of BuOH, compatibility with the current engines and fuel distribution infrastructure. However, their production faces challenges due to the low yields and selectivities during ethanol reforming. GlaS-A-Fuels envisions a holistic approach to transform bio-ethanol to advanced biofuels employing recyclable and cooperative catalysts from earth-abundant elements. The concept is based on the engineering of a light-trapping and light-tuning photonic glass reactor, self-powered by a thermoelectric module, and tailored to amplify the effectiveness of photoamplified single-atom catalysts. GlaS-A-Fuels aims to harness the full power of the light-activated carriers of photoactive supports by channeling this energy to the surface-exposed transition metal-cation single atom sites. Metal-metal and metal-support cooperativity, charge transfer phenomena and strongly polarized oxidations states can further contribute to the required enhanced catalytic performances and difficult-to-achieve key reaction intermediates. To develop efficient processes for the production of advanced biofuels, GlaS-A-Fuels will leverage in a concerted way the key expertise of five partners in materials science for solar and thermal energy harvesting, catalysis, laser technologies for tuning light-matter interactions, intelligent process-control systems.
The main objectives of the work carried out within M1-M12 are summarized as follows:
• Development of highly efficient and stable thermoelectric (TE) composites for encapsulation in inorganic oxide glasses.
• Encapsulation of luminescent materials and TE composites inside inorganic oxide glasses, along with laser processing of composite glasses, towards the development of the required glass photonic-reactor components.
• Theoretical calculation of the catalysis reaction mechanisms and the interaction of the reactants with the catalysts.
• Development and optimization of effective, cooperative, solar light amplified photocatalytic nanoplatforms.
• Experimental validation of the catalysis mechanisms upon using advanced characterization techniques.
• IP management of novel scientific knowledge, development of dissemination assets, explore innovation potential and identify potential markets for each innovation.
The main objectives of the work carried out within M1-M12 are summarized as follows:
• Development of highly efficient and stable thermoelectric (TE) composites for encapsulation in inorganic oxide glasses.
• Encapsulation of luminescent materials and TE composites inside inorganic oxide glasses, along with laser processing of composite glasses, towards the development of the required glass photonic-reactor components.
• Theoretical calculation of the catalysis reaction mechanisms and the interaction of the reactants with the catalysts.
• Development and optimization of effective, cooperative, solar light amplified photocatalytic nanoplatforms.
• Experimental validation of the catalysis mechanisms upon using advanced characterization techniques.
• IP management of novel scientific knowledge, development of dissemination assets, explore innovation potential and identify potential markets for each innovation.
The executive summary of the progress and the main achievements of each GlaS-A-Fuels Work Package (WP) are presented below:
WP1-Project management and coordination (FORTH): The main activities of WP1 include the overall project coordination along with the project monitoring and risk management. Namely a continuous communication with the Project Officer (PO) has been created to ensure that every contractual obligation is met according to the Grant Agreement (GA). Moreover, regular internal consortium meetings and individual partner meetings are arranged among partners according to the needs of the scientific work carried out in the project WPs. In terms of monitoring and risk management a Project Steering Committee (PSC) has been formed for ensuring the achievement of the project objectives.
WP2-Development of multi-functional photonic glass reactor and thermoelectric module (FORTH): The main activities of the WP2 deal with the development of a multi-functional photonic glass reactor and thermoelectric module. This includes:
• the optimization of the silver-based phosphate glass in order to be a suitable host for all active layers.
• the development of highly efficient and stable TE composite (CNT polymer) material for encapsulation in glass.
• the encapsulation of highly luminescent inorganic perovskite and TE composite active layers.
WP3-Cooperative photocatalytic nanoplatforms (photo-SACs) (UTR): WP3 is focused on the development on photocatalysts for the valorization of biomass-derived small molecule oxygenates such as ethanol (EtOH). One promising valorization pathway is the transformation of EtOH to butanol (BuOH) or hydrogen, due their usage as energy carriers and fuels. We have analyzed theoretically the reaction and planned the accordingly the design of some of the targeted catalysts. Regarding the EtOH to BuOH transformation more than ten catalysts have been developed and we identified one with the highest activity. The catalyst shows some photoactivity due to its graphenic support with photothermal properties. Carbon nitride has been also synthesizing with a novel pathway and single metal atoms immobilized. Preliminary characterization has been performed for the interesting catalysts.
WP4-Bio-EtOH solar reactor for bio-BuOH and H2 production (VSB): WP4 will start on M24 according to schedule.
WP5-Exploitation, dissemination and communication (CORE): Performed activities aim to maximize the innovation potential of GlaS-A-Fuels scientific results. Up to now we have defined the innovation potential of our results upon using the Innovation Radar methodology, which is developed to analyse the maturity of the innovation of the EU-funded projects. Namely, the innovation potential is studied in terms of three pillars which are the market potential, the innovation readiness, and the innovation management.
WP1-Project management and coordination (FORTH): The main activities of WP1 include the overall project coordination along with the project monitoring and risk management. Namely a continuous communication with the Project Officer (PO) has been created to ensure that every contractual obligation is met according to the Grant Agreement (GA). Moreover, regular internal consortium meetings and individual partner meetings are arranged among partners according to the needs of the scientific work carried out in the project WPs. In terms of monitoring and risk management a Project Steering Committee (PSC) has been formed for ensuring the achievement of the project objectives.
WP2-Development of multi-functional photonic glass reactor and thermoelectric module (FORTH): The main activities of the WP2 deal with the development of a multi-functional photonic glass reactor and thermoelectric module. This includes:
• the optimization of the silver-based phosphate glass in order to be a suitable host for all active layers.
• the development of highly efficient and stable TE composite (CNT polymer) material for encapsulation in glass.
• the encapsulation of highly luminescent inorganic perovskite and TE composite active layers.
WP3-Cooperative photocatalytic nanoplatforms (photo-SACs) (UTR): WP3 is focused on the development on photocatalysts for the valorization of biomass-derived small molecule oxygenates such as ethanol (EtOH). One promising valorization pathway is the transformation of EtOH to butanol (BuOH) or hydrogen, due their usage as energy carriers and fuels. We have analyzed theoretically the reaction and planned the accordingly the design of some of the targeted catalysts. Regarding the EtOH to BuOH transformation more than ten catalysts have been developed and we identified one with the highest activity. The catalyst shows some photoactivity due to its graphenic support with photothermal properties. Carbon nitride has been also synthesizing with a novel pathway and single metal atoms immobilized. Preliminary characterization has been performed for the interesting catalysts.
WP4-Bio-EtOH solar reactor for bio-BuOH and H2 production (VSB): WP4 will start on M24 according to schedule.
WP5-Exploitation, dissemination and communication (CORE): Performed activities aim to maximize the innovation potential of GlaS-A-Fuels scientific results. Up to now we have defined the innovation potential of our results upon using the Innovation Radar methodology, which is developed to analyse the maturity of the innovation of the EU-funded projects. Namely, the innovation potential is studied in terms of three pillars which are the market potential, the innovation readiness, and the innovation management.
The main scientific results and potential impacts of GlaS-A-Fuels up to M12 are summarized as follows:
1. Controlled encapsulation of thermoelectric polymers and light emitting crystals in glasses for advanced photonic, optoelectronic, and catalysis applications (WP2).
2. Carbon based p- and n-type thermoelectric material for a wide range of applications for energy generation in glass reactors or glass applications in the building sector (WP2).
3. Highly active catalysts for the effective transformation of ethanol to butanol and/or higher order alcohols (WP3).
4. Innovative carbon nitride based single atom catalysts for high-efficiency photocatalytic H2 generation (WP3).
1. Controlled encapsulation of thermoelectric polymers and light emitting crystals in glasses for advanced photonic, optoelectronic, and catalysis applications (WP2).
2. Carbon based p- and n-type thermoelectric material for a wide range of applications for energy generation in glass reactors or glass applications in the building sector (WP2).
3. Highly active catalysts for the effective transformation of ethanol to butanol and/or higher order alcohols (WP3).
4. Innovative carbon nitride based single atom catalysts for high-efficiency photocatalytic H2 generation (WP3).