Understanding and Exploiting Biological Catalysts for Energy Cycling: Development of Infrared Spectroelectrochemistry for Studying Intermediates in Metalloenzyme Catalysis

Objective

Advanced catalysts for energy cycling will be essential to a future sustainable energy economy. Interconversion of water and hydrogen allows solar and other green electricity to be stored in transportable form as H2 - a fuel for electricity generation on demand. Precious metals (Pt) are the best catalysts currently available for H2 oxidation in fuel cells. In contrast, readily available Ni/Fe form the catalytic centres of robust enzymes used by micro-organisms to oxidise or produce H2 selectively, at rates rivalling platinum. Metalloenzymes also efficiently catalyse redox reactions of the nitrogen and carbon cycles. Electrochemistry of enzyme films on a graphite electrode provides a direct route to studying and exploiting biocatalysis, for example a fuel cell that produces electricity from dilute H2 in air using an electrode modified with hydrogenase. Understanding structures and complex chemistry of enzyme active sites is now an important challenge that underpins exploitation of enzymes and design of future catalysts. This project develops sensitive IR methods for metalloenzymes on conducting surfaces or particles. Ligands with strong InfraRed vibrational signatures (CO, CN-) are exploited as probes of active site chemistry for hydrogenases and carbon-cycling enzymes. The proposal unites physical techniques (surface vibrational spectroscopy, electrochemistry), microbiology (mutagenesis, microbial energy cycling), inorganic chemistry (reactions at unusual organometallic centres) and technology development (energy-catalysis) in addressing enzyme chemistry. Understanding the basis for the extreme catalytic selectivity of enzymes will contribute to knowledge of biological energy cycling and provide inspiration for new catalysts.

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.

• natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry organic reactions
• natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry transition metals
• natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis biocatalysis
• natural sciences biological sciences microbiology
• natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

• FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

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.

• ERC-SG-PE4 - ERC Starting Grant - Physical and Analytical Chemical sciences

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

ERC-2010-StG_20091028
See other projects for this call

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.

ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant

Host institution

Beneficiaries (1)