Project description
Like baiting a trap for the capture and 'demise' of CO2 molecules
Technologies that capture and store or convert CO2 before it is emitted into the atmosphere will be extremely important during the transition to cleaner forms of energy. Significant research and development have been devoted to catalysts that convert CO2 to chemicals or fuels, but many challenges have not been sufficiently overcome. The EU-funded SupraFixCO2 project has come up with an innovative solution to enhance the efficiency and selectivity with which a catalyst binds and converts CO2 – physical isolation. Even better, it can be accomplished in water with mild reaction conditions. The team plans to hide a catalyst in a supramolecular nanocavity cage into which CO2 gas molecules will enter readily.
Objective
Global warming has become one of the global concerns which is threatening all life on our planet. As the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO2) has been extensively released by human activities. To reduce CO2 emission, one promising strategy is to reuse CO2 for producing value-added chemicals or fuels. For this purpose, many efforts have been devoted in constructing effective catalysts for CO2 utilization. However, many problems still limit their application, such as weak CO2 binding to the catalytic centre, low efficiency and selectivity, harsh catalytic conditions, etc. To address these challenges, we decide to think out of box. By marrying supramolecular chemistry with CO2 utilization, we aim to develop new systems of supramolecular catalysis for chemofixation and electroreduction of CO2. To this end, we plan to innovatively employ cucurbit[n]uril, a kind of water-soluble macrocyclic host, to encapsulate a catalyst or a reactant within its hydrophobic nanocavity. After first guest incorporation, CO2 as a non-polar gas molecule may strongly tend to enter the residual hydrophobic space within CB[n]'s cavity. Through such enhanced CO2 binding, supramolecular catalysis for chemofixating CO2 into cyclic carbonates and electroreducing CO2 to CO fuel could be significantly promoted. High efficiency and selectivity, and mild catalytic conditions in aqueous media could be also achieved. Furthermore, the catalytic process and mechanism will be in situ studied by a nanoparticle-on-mirror technique in a subnanometer level. In this way, supramolecular catalysis for CO2 utilization could be firstly developed. This proposed project is inherently an interdisciplinary research, therefore we will work closely with colleagues from our department and Department of Physics. We do believe that this research will attract lots of interests and attentions from scientists in the frontiers of supramolecular chemistry, CO2 utilization, catalytic science, electrochemistry and nanophotonics.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences chemical sciences electrochemistry
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry inorganic compounds
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy planetary sciences planets
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nanophotonics
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.