Project description
A new way to watch catalysts at work
The chemical industry is the backbone of modern life, yet much of its efficiency rests on a process that remains surprisingly opaque. Catalysts are responsible for nearly all manufactured chemical products. However, since these reactions occur at extreme temperatures and pressures, it is difficult to capture the fleeting structural shifts and intermediate states that dictate a catalyst’s lifespan and efficiency. The ERC-funded REACT project aims to fill this knowledge gap. It will use a suite of non-invasive 3D imaging and spectroscopy to monitor nanocatalysts in situ. By integrating high-intensity synchrotron radiation with AI-driven predictive modelling, the project will observe atomic-scale transformations as they occur in real-time.
Objective
Heterogeneous (electro-, photo-) catalysis is at the heart of our modern chemical industry, driving 90% of chemical manufacturing processes. Key challenges include measuring reaction kinetics, identifying intermediates and bridging the “pressure” and “materials” gaps. To study the behaviour of individual nanocatalysts involved in chemical reactions, I will develop new, faster structural and chemical characterisation systems and state-of-the-art in situ monitoring techniques to address catalytic problems. The REACT project will revolutionise our understanding of near-industrial catalysis by overcoming current limitations in pressure and materials science by integrating fast in situ non-invasive three-dimensional imaging of single catalysts with spectroscopy to achieve 3D nanospectroscopic imaging during catalysis. This innovative method will operate at high temperature, pressure and in complex environments, providing atomic resolution and high temporal precision. Taking advantage of 4th generation synchrotron sources, new revolutionary charge-integrating detectors and my recognised expertise in synchrotron coherent X-ray diffraction microscopy, the project will enable 3D study of both the chemistry and structure of nanocatalysts under realistic reaction conditions with unprecedented spatial, temporal and energy resolution, to identify reaction intermediates during catalysis for a deeper understanding of the phenomena critical to nanocatalysis: activity, selectivity, reusability and sustainability. Experiment is nothing without simulation. We will use state-of-the-art atomistic capabilities developed by AI to reveal the full dynamics of catalytic mechanisms, setting a new standard in the integration of computational and experimental sciences. My project will shed light on the most relevant unsolved issues (durability, activity, ...) that limit the efficiency of today's processes and will open new horizons with outstanding impact in catalytic research.
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: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geology mineralogy crystallography
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
- natural sciences physical sciences optics spectroscopy
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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)
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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-2024-ADG
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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.
75015 Paris
France
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