Objectif Hydrogen produced by sunlight is a very promising, environmentally-friendly energy source as an alternative for increasingly scarce and polluting fossil fuels. Since the discovery of hydrogen production by photocatalytic water dissociation on a titanium dioxide (TiO2) electrode 40 years ago, much research has been aimed at increasing the process efficiency. Remarkably, insights into how water is bound to the catalyst and into the dynamics of the photodissociation reaction, have been scarce up to now, due to the lack of suitable techniques to interrogate water at the interface. The aim of this proposal is to provide these insights by looking at specifically the molecules at the interface, before, during and after their photo-reaction. With the surface sensitive spectroscopic technique sum-frequency generation (SFG) we can determine binding motifs of the ~monolayer of water at the interface, quantify the heterogeneity of the water molecules at the interface and follow changes in water molecular structure and dynamics at the interface during the reaction. The structure of interfacial water will be studied using steady-state SFG; the dynamics of the water photodissociation will be investigated using pump-SFG probe spectroscopy. At variable delay times after the pump pulse the probe pulses will interrogate the interface and detect the reaction intermediates and products. Thanks to recent developments of SFG it should now be possible to determine the structure of water at the TiO2 interface and to unravel the dynamics of the photodissocation process. These insights will allow us to relate the interfacial TiO2-water structure and dynamics to reactivity of the photocatalyst, and to bridge the gap between the fundamentals of the process at the molecular level to the efficiency of the photocatalys. The results will be essential for developing cheaper and more efficient photocatalysts for the production of hydrogen. Champ scientifique sciences naturellessciences chimiquescatalysephotocatalysesciences naturellessciences chimiqueschimie inorganiquemétal de transitioningénierie et technologiegénie de l'environnementénergie et combustiblesénergie renouvelableénergie hydrogènesciences naturellessciences physiquesoptiquespectroscopie Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Thème(s) ERC-SG-PE4 - ERC Starting Grant - Physical and Analytical Chemical sciences Appel à propositions ERC-2013-StG Voir d’autres projets de cet appel Régime de financement ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Coordinateurs UNIVERSITAT WIEN Adresse Universitatsring 1 1010 Wien Autriche Voir sur la carte Région Ostösterreich Wien Wien Type d’activité Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Liens Contacter l’organisation Opens in new window Site web Opens in new window Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV Participation terminée Adresse Hofgartenstrasse 8 80539 Munchen Allemagne Voir sur la carte Région Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt Type d’activité Research Organisations Contact administratif Zsolt Tóvári (Mr.) Chercheur principal Eleonora Hendrika Gertruda Backus (Dr.) Liens Contacter l’organisation Opens in new window Site web Opens in new window Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Bénéficiaires (2) Trier par ordre alphabétique Trier par contribution de l’UE Tout développer Tout réduire UNIVERSITAT WIEN Autriche Contribution de l’UE € 1 498 800,00 Adresse Universitatsring 1 1010 Wien Voir sur la carte Région Ostösterreich Wien Wien Type d’activité Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Liens Contacter l’organisation Opens in new window Site web Opens in new window Autres sources de financement Aucune donnée MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV Participation terminée Allemagne Contribution de l’UE € 1 498 800,00 Adresse Hofgartenstrasse 8 80539 Munchen Voir sur la carte Région Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt Type d’activité Research Organisations Contact administratif Zsolt Tóvári (Mr.) Chercheur principal Eleonora Hendrika Gertruda Backus (Dr.) Liens Contacter l’organisation Opens in new window Site web Opens in new window Autres sources de financement Aucune donnée
