Descripción del proyecto
Permitir que la fabricación de sustancias químicas y combustibles neutros en carbono sea comercialmente viable
La reducción electroquímica del CO2 es una tecnología prometedora para la fabricación de sustancias químicas y combustibles neutros en carbono que usan electricidad renovable. Sin embargo, los electrocatalizadores actuales impiden que el proceso sea económicamente factible. El principal motivo es que las propiedades del electrocatalizador necesarias para reducir el CO2 aún deben identificarse de manera concluyente. El proyecto CO2RR VALCAT, financiado con fondos europeos, tiene como objetivo obtener más datos sobre las propiedades para producir electrocatalizadores de alta calidad que se puedan aplicar de inmediato a dispositivos en funcionamiento. Para ello, usará la estructura de banda D de los metales de transición y sintetizará, pretratará, caracterizará y probará los electrocatalizadores intermetálicos. También descubrirá electrocatalizadores para identificar aleaciones metálicas que pongan de manifiesto su potencial.
Objetivo
Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction is a promising technology for producing carbon-neutral fuels and chemicals using renewable electricity. Unfortunately, contemporary electrocatalysts lack the activity required to make the process commercially viable. The search for electrocatalysts with superior activity has been hindered by the fact that the electrocatalyst properties required to reduce carbon dioxide have not been definitively identified. Herein, I propose to utilize the d-band structure of a transition metal electrocatalysts as a descriptor for its electrocatalytic activity. The d-band structure of transition metals normally incapable of carbon dioxide reduction will be tuned to resemble those of known electrocatalysts via the formation of strong intermetallic bonds with ionic character. These intermetallic electrocatalysts will be synthesized in a thin film format and transferred into an ultra-high vacuum system where they will be pretreated, characterized, and tested in an inert and integrated environment, enabling the systematic elucidation of the impact of d-band structure on carbon dioxide reduction activity. Following this approach, novel electrocatalysts will be discovered with superior activity to the state-of-the-art electrocatalysts. Once promising intermetallic alloys are identified, their activity will be quantified as a function of their surface atomic density via epitaxial intermetallic thin film growth on crystallographically oriented Si wafers. If undercoordinated surfaces exhibit superior electrocatalytic activity, intermetallic mass-selected nanoparticles will be synthesized and their activity quantified as a function of partizle size. Thus, the proposed research project aims to develope a fundamental understanding of the electrocatalysts properties required to reduce carbon dioxide and exploit these insights to develope superior electrocatalysts that could be immediately employed in working devices.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EFCoordinador
2800 Kongens Lyngby
Dinamarca