Objetivo
Advanced catalysts for energy cycling will be essential to a future sustainable energy economy. Interconversion of water and hydrogen allows solar and other green electricity to be stored in transportable form as H2 - a fuel for electricity generation on demand. Precious metals (Pt) are the best catalysts currently available for H2 oxidation in fuel cells. In contrast, readily available Ni/Fe form the catalytic centres of robust enzymes used by micro-organisms to oxidise or produce H2 selectively, at rates rivalling platinum. Metalloenzymes also efficiently catalyse redox reactions of the nitrogen and carbon cycles. Electrochemistry of enzyme films on a graphite electrode provides a direct route to studying and exploiting biocatalysis, for example a fuel cell that produces electricity from dilute H2 in air using an electrode modified with hydrogenase. Understanding structures and complex chemistry of enzyme active sites is now an important challenge that underpins exploitation of enzymes and design of future catalysts. This project develops sensitive IR methods for metalloenzymes on conducting surfaces or particles. Ligands with strong InfraRed vibrational signatures (CO, CN-) are exploited as probes of active site chemistry for hydrogenases and carbon-cycling enzymes. The proposal unites physical techniques (surface vibrational spectroscopy, electrochemistry), microbiology (mutagenesis, microbial energy cycling), inorganic chemistry (reactions at unusual organometallic centres) and technology development (energy-catalysis) in addressing enzyme chemistry. Understanding the basis for the extreme catalytic selectivity of enzymes will contribute to knowledge of biological energy cycling and provide inspiration for new catalysts.
Ámbito científico
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryorganic reactions
- natural scienceschemical sciencescatalysisbiocatalysis
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiology
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfuel cells
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes
Convocatoria de propuestas
ERC-2010-StG_20091028
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Régimen de financiación
ERC-SG - ERC Starting GrantInstitución de acogida
OX1 2JD Oxford
Reino Unido