SAInTHz · Structuration of aqueous interfaces by Terahertz pulses: A study by Second Harmonic and Sum Frequency Generation

Structuration of aqueous interfaces by Terahertz pulses: A study by Second Harmonic and Sum Frequency Generation

Water interfaces are omnipresent in nature and technologies. They are of utmost importance to the understanding of diverse biological and chemical processes, ranging from protein folding to atmospheric chemistry or colloidal stability. They are also of paramount importance to the development of advanced catalysts and energy storage devices. For instance, ocean absorb about 30% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is contained in the atmosphere. As levels of atmospheric CO2 increase from human activity such as burning fossil fuels and changing land use, the amount of CO2 absorbed by the oceans also increases. When CO2 is absorbed by seawater, a series of chemical reactions occur resulting in an increased concentration of hydrogen ions. This process has implications for plants and animals living nearby, as well as for climate change modelling. In another context, electrochemical cells and systems play a key role in a wide range of industrial sectors. These devices are critical enabling technologies from an energetic point of view: renewable energy, energy production, management, conservation and storage. They are also important from an environmental point of view: pollution control, monitoring, and reduction of greenhouse gases. Since the electrochemical responses depend on the microscopic chemical composition of the liquid/solid interface itself, a better understanding of the microscopic structure and the dynamics at the fundamental level first, will have an impact for the applications and developments in terms of cost, life time and performance. Charged water interfaces are ubiquitous. They are involved in many natural phenomena and are of great importance to the development of numerous natural processes and technologies ranging from protein folding to photocatalysis for water splitting and/or proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. Even though significant progress has been made over the previous decades8-9 our understanding of the fundamental physical science at aqueous interfaces remains limited compared to that of the bulk, because the investigation of these interfaces with non-invasive probes is still a significant challenge. Water interfaces are the most commonly used platforms for chemistry and biological processes, but the current understanding at the molecular level and ultrashort timescales is an uncharted territory.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз