Descrizione del progetto
Un approccio di ispirazione biologica per convertire l’energia solare in combustibile a idrogeno conservabile
Il processo di fotosintesi nelle piante ha inizio con l’assorbimento di energia da parte di complessi che raccolgono la luce. Questi complessi pigmento-proteina sono capaci di assorbire e trasferire energia con elevata velocità e alta efficienza nel centro di reazione, il sito in cui avviene la conversione dell’energia solare. Ispirato da questo processo naturale, il progetto BioInspired_SolarH2, finanziato dall’UE, intende ingegnerizzare sistemi artificiali in grado di convertire l’energia solare in idrogeno, un carburante pulito e rinnovabile. A tal fine, i ricercatori costruiranno solidi assemblaggi cromoforo-proteina che potranno sfruttare la coesione al fine di garantire una raccolta e conversione efficienti dell’energia solare. Per approfondire ulteriormente questi sistemi, gli scienziati applicheranno metodi di spettroscopia a risoluzione temporale e stato stazionario. Il combustibile a idrogeno conservabile è molto promettente per la sostituzione dei combustibili fossili.
Obiettivo
With this proposal, I aim to achieve the efficient conversion of solar energy to hydrogen. The overall objective is to engineer bio-inspired systems able to convert solar energy into a separation of charges and to construct devices by coupling these systems to catalysts in order to drive sustainable and effective water oxidation and hydrogen production.
The global energy crisis requires an urgent solution, we must replace fossil fuels for a renewable energy source: Solar energy. However, the efficient and inexpensive conversion and storage of solar energy into fuel remains a fundamental challenge. Currently, solar-energy conversion devices suffer from energy losses mainly caused by disorder in the materials used. The solution to this problem is to learn from nature. In photosynthesis, the photosystem II reaction centre (PSII RC) is a pigment-protein complex able to overcome disorder and convert solar photons into a separation of charges with near 100% efficiency. Crucially, the generated charges have enough potential to drive water oxidation and hydrogen production.
Previously, I have investigated the charge separation process in the PSII RC by a collection of spectroscopic techniques, which allowed me to formulate the design principles of photosynthetic charge separation, where coherence plays a crucial role. Here I will put these knowledge into action to design efficient and robust chromophore-protein assemblies for the collection and conversion of solar energy, employ organic chemistry and synthetic biology tools to construct these well defined and fully controllable assemblies, and apply a complete set of spectroscopic methods to investigate these engineered systems.
Following the approach Understand, Engineer, Implement, I will create a new generation of bio-inspired devices based on abundant and biodegradable materials that will drive the transformation of solar energy and water into hydrogen, an energy-rich molecule that can be stored and transported.
Campo scientifico
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energy
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistry
- natural sciencesbiological sciencessynthetic biology
- natural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistryelectrolysis
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energyhydrogen energy
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
ERC-STG - Starting GrantIstituzione ospitante
43007 Tarragona
Spagna