Homo/Hetero Hybrid Dyadic Systems for Artificial Photosynthesis

Climate change is one of the main concerns of our society and is closely linked to the large consumption of fossil fuels and their associated carbon emissions. An appealing alternative is the production of hydrogen from water, powered by sunlight. Our project aims to develop a first family of efficient hybrid dyadic catalysts for this purpose. These catalysts will combine a molecular light-absorbing unit, known as photosensitiser (PS), anchored to the surface of a metallic nanoparticle (NP), which will act as the catalyst. A first-of-its-kind hybrid dyadic system was recently developed in a collaborative work between the University of Montreal and the Autonomous University of Barcelona. In this project, we will address the issues found in the first-generation catalysts. For this, we will design tailored PSs with improved properties, which we expect to increase the hydrogen production. In addition, we will work towards a second-generation of hybrid dyadic systems able to perform overall water splitting upon sunlight irradiation. In this way, both institutions will work together in expanding our knowledge of this unexplored field of research, which will enable the rational design of new efficient hybrid materials.

Faculty Supervisor:

Garry S. Hanan

Student:

Partner:

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Environmental Science and Technology; Green/Alternative Energy; Nanotechnology

University:

Université de Montréal

Program: