Descrizione del progetto
Catalizzatori funzionali a base di nanomateriali con proprietà simili agli enzimi
Il progetto CASCAT, finanziato dall’UE, intende utilizzare nell’elettrocatalisi nanoparticelle con canali di substrato fissati come enzimi artificiali semplificati, i nanozimi. Questo concetto sarà esteso alle strutture bimetalliche a nucleo-guscio con canali fissati per fornire superfici di catalizzatore confinate localmente con selettività variabile. Il tentativo di assemblare localmente catalizzatori con proprietà differenti in volumi di reazione nano-confinati sarà esteso a strutture di nanoparticelle stratificate. Il progetto svilupperà e valuterà anche elettrodi a diffusione di gas multi-catalizzatore utilizzando la spettroscopia operando e strumenti nano-elettrochimici. I nuovi elettrodi a diffusione di gas saranno integrati in nuovi elettrolizzatori rotanti di tipo ad albero per la rimozione degli inquinanti gassosi pericolosi dall’aria.
Obiettivo
Nanoparticles with etched substrate channels are proposed as a simplified enzyme mimic, nanozymes, for electrocatalysis providing concave catalytically active sites together with the local modulation of electrolyte composition. This concept will be extended to bimetallic core-shell structures with etched channels to provide locally confined catalyst surfaces with varying selectivity. The first catalytic reaction at the channel entrance selectively generates a product, which is further converted in a follow-up reaction catalysed at the core material at the bottom of the channel. The endeavour to locally assemble catalysts with different properties in nano-confined reaction volumes to actualise cascade reaction pathways will be extended to layered nanoparticle structures. Together with an anisotropic provision of a gaseous reactant through a hydrophobic/hydrophilic phase boundary of specifically designed gas diffusion electrodes multi-step catalytic cascade reactions become feasible. The development and extensive evaluation of multi-catalyst gas-diffusion electrodes using operando electrochemistry/spectroscopy and nano-electrochemical tools as well as multi flow-through electrolysers will provide the fundamental knowledge concerning the relative location of different catalyst particles, which synergistically perform chemical cascade reaction with high selectivity and at high current densities. These gas-diffusion electrodes will be integrated in novel electrolyser concepts targeting CO2 recycling at high current density in alkaline solution under suppression of H2 competition with previously unprecedented selectivity for the formation of higher hydrocarbons envisioning contributions to a closed carbon cycle economy and a substantial decrease of CO2 emission. Additionally, a novel tree-type rotating electrolyser design is proposed for the removal of hazardous gaseous pollutants from air e.g. at street crossings in cities as exemplified by NOx reduction to N2 or NH3.
Campo scientifico
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesrecycling
- natural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistry
- natural scienceschemical sciencescatalysiselectrocatalysis
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryhydrocarbons
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materials
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
ERC-ADG - Advanced GrantIstituzione ospitante
44801 Bochum
Germania