Project description
Turning Plastic and CO2 into Clean Fuel
Plastic bottles and CO2 are everywhere – and not in a good way. PET plastic, commonly used in packaging, is notoriously hard to recycle, while CO2 emissions fuel climate change. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SOLAR-CATMOF project tackles both problems at once. Using sunlight and advanced materials called MOFs, researchers aim to transform PET waste and CO2 into useful fuels and chemicals. By tweaking the tiny imperfections in MOFs and combining them with silicon-based photoelectrodes, the team is developing a solar-powered system that breaks down real-world plastic into glycolic acid, used in cosmetics, and turns CO2 into valuable products. It is a fresh, scalable approach to pollution that could help close the loop on two major waste streams.
Objective
Increasing plastic waste poses significant environmental and health risks through pollution, toxic chemical release, and CO2 emissions. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), used in bottles, is especially challenging to recycle effectively and often ends up in landfills. This proposal aims to develop an innovative solar-driven technology that efficiently combines two waste streams (PET and CO2) to produce useful fuels and chemicals, contributing to a more circular and eco-friendly future. Based on the applicant’s expertise in the synthesis and characterization of MOFs, we aim to harness this knowledge to further develop MOF-based photoelectrodes. Additionally, by leveraging the host institution’s research on silicon-based photoanodes and photocathodes for solar photoelectrochemical (PEC) processes, we have identified three key objectives. The first is to create a new and simple method for engineering defects into MOF-based silicon for efficient PEC applications by incorporating monocarboxylic acids during synthesis. The second objective is to study the role that defects and imperfections play in controlling the efficiency and selectivity of PEC reactions. The third objective is to apply the developed catalysts for the first time in the solar driven PEC oxidation of pretreated real-world PET into glycolic acid (used as a feedstock in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries) while coupling it with PEC CO2 reduction reaction to concurrently produce value-added products at both electrodes, demonstrating the advantages of PEC devices for scalable commercial applications. The success of this proposal relies on the applicant’s expertise in MOF synthesis and defect engineering, along with the host institution’s proficiency in electrode modification and development of functionalized semiconductors for PEC applications. The fellowship will provide the candidate with new research competencies, networking opportunities, and experience in teaching and outreach programming.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
- natural sciences chemical sciences electrochemistry electrolysis
- natural sciences physical sciences electromagnetism and electronics semiconductivity
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry metalloids
- engineering and technology environmental engineering waste management waste treatment processes
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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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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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.
75794 Paris
France
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.