QuantumSolarFuels · Photoelectrochemical Solar Light Conversion into Fuels on Colloidal Quantum Dots Based Photoanodes
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2019-11-01 → 2022-10-31
- EU contribution
- €237,768
- Participants
- 2
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Photoelectrochemical Solar Light Conversion into Fuels on Colloidal Quantum Dots Based Photoanodes
Technologies that produce carbon-neutral fuels and chemical feedstocks are needed to meet European and Global objectives toward a green economy and climate neutrality, specifically prioritized within the EU policy targets on Energy, Climate Change, and Environment. Solar energy is the most abundant renewable energy source and provides our planet with energy, largely exceeding our current demand. However, the intermittency of solar light and other renewable energy sources is the most significant barrier to their extensive utilization to displace fossil fuels. Electrocatalysis offers ways to convert electricity from renewable sources into energy-rich chemicals, including hydrogen and hydrocarbons, that can replace petrochemicals and fossil fuels. Addressing the storage of elusive renewable energies by identifying selective and energy-efficient catalysts and processes are the objectives of the QuantumSolarFuels project. The three-year project joins two research groups: Professor Selli (Department of Chemistry at the Universià di Milano, Italy) and Professor Sargent (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Toronto, Canada). Dr. Grigioni, the researcher involved in the project, spent the first two years in the Sargent group. The group is field-leading in electrocatalysis to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) or carbon monoxide (CO), water, and renewable electricity into chemicals such as hydrogen, ethylene, ethanol, and propanol. The Selli group primarily focuses on direct solar light conversion to value-added molecules via photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis and hosted Dr. Grigioni during the last year of the project. If successful, the QuantumSolarFuels project will enable the displacement of fossils with renewable-derived chemicals, nurturing new industrial processes and economic and social opportunities. To widely deploy electrolyzers at scale, we investigate efficient catalysts to produce specific products and devices that maximize energy efficiency to target industrial requirements.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The efficient use of solar energy is vital for the future of our Planet and to ensure to the next generations our and evensuperior welfare standards. Photoelectrochemical water splitting is a promising way to convert solar light into storable fuels,such as H2. However, an ideal photoanodic material for the oxygen evolution half-reaction has not been identified yet.Technologies based on solution-processed colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are promising for producing effectivephotoanodes because of their low manufacturing costs and the possibility of controlling the band gap of the material throughthe quantum size effect.The main scientific aim of the QuantumSolarFuels project is the preparation of photoanodes for water splitting based onCdSe, CdTe and CdSeTe CQDs and their protection against photocorrosion. The CQDs will be assembled in flat electrodeseffectively protected against photocorrosion and activated toward water oxidation through: a) the deposition of amorphousTiO2 and subsequent coating with metal based oxygen evolution catalysts or b) by direct coating them with the oxygenevolution catalysts.Further objectives are: 1) the identification of the optimal CdSeTe composition and CQDs size for the preparation of efficientphotoanodes; 2) the use of Cd-chalcogenide CQDs in solar cells and photo- and electro-catalysis for renewable fuelsproduction.Thanks to this action the researcher will become a World expert in these areas, in particular in the innovative use of CQDsfor photoelectrochemical water splitting applications.Taking full advantage of the complementary competences of the two involved research groups, the one at the beneficiaryinstitution expert in the fundamental chemical aspects of photocatalysis and the partner group more focused on theengineering and industrial exploitation of CQD science, the QuantumSolarFuels project will provide crucial achievements forthe future preparation of industrially compelling photoelectrochemical devices.
Original text from CORDIS.
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Data: CORDIS, © European Union