Project description
Three eyes on the prize help scientists characterise chemical reactions
When we evaluate a chemical reaction on a whiteboard, things seem so simple and straightforward. When it comes to the real thing, it gets much more complicated. Identifying all the reactants and products and characterising reaction kinetics requires a high-resolution 'eye' on the molecules involved. The EU-funded HILTRAC project is developing a novel reaction chamber that integrates three different high-tech detection technologies and a low-temperature controlled environment. It will enable the measurement of very low concentrations of molecules in a gas phase reaction with high sensitivity and selectivity, shedding light on the ways reactions progress. The team is starting off with organosulfur reactions, an important reaction class that occurs widely in nature and about which little is known.
Objective
In this project, I will build, optimize, and apply a Highly Instrumented Low Temperature Reaction Chamber (HILTRAC) to study organosulfur chemical reactions. This chamber is the first of its kind to couple a uniform supersonic flow (USF) capable of achieving a wide range of cold temperatures (30 250 K) with the unique detection capabilities of an infrared direct frequency comb spectrometer (DFCS). The combination of DFCS with two additional detection methods (laser-induced fluorescence and time-of-flight mass spectrometry) will make HILTRAC a highly versatile instrument, with sufficient sensitivity and selectivity to measure very low concentrations of molecules in a gas phase chemical reaction. The spectrally broadband and high resolution frequency comb laser enables both reactants and products to be identified and monitored simultaneously as a function of reaction time. For the first time, a single instrument will have the ability to collect multiplexed information on temperature-dependent reaction kinetics, product identification, and product branching ratios. This will set a new benchmark for what should be considered a more complete understanding of the way a reaction progresses. As a first target for the newly commissioned HILTRAC, I will study three different organosulfur reactions relevant to chemical environments ranging from the interstellar medium to biological systems. There is very little information about organosulfur reactions in general and especially at low temperatures due to experimental challenges which the USF is able overcome. By using the combined power of the HILTRAC detection methods and the temperature controlled environment, with supporting quantum chemical calculations and reaction kinetics simulations, I will be able to draw conclusions about the reaction potential energy surfaces which govern the branching to reaction products. This in turn will allow predictive abilities beyond achievable experimental conditions.
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.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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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.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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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) ERC-2020-STG
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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.
B15 2TT Birmingham
United Kingdom
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