Project Details
Projekt
Coordination Funds
Applicant
Professor Dr. Jan-Dierk Grunwaldt
Subject Area
Technical Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry
Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering
Energy Process Engineering
Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis
Physical Chemistry of Solids and Surfaces, Material Characterisation
Analytical Chemistry
Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering
Energy Process Engineering
Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis
Physical Chemistry of Solids and Surfaces, Material Characterisation
Term
since 2018
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 406839499
In the context of the energy transition, the fluctuating availability of renewable energies such as wind and solar power represents one of the greatest challenges. Electricity generated on windy and sunny days can be stored in the form of chemical energy carriers such as hydrogen or hydrocarbons. This requires the use of catalysts, reactors and electrochemical cells under externally controlled dynamic reaction conditions. The influence of dynamic conditions on catalytic reaction systems has so far been underestimated. On the one hand, there is the potential to increase the yield of desired reaction products and reactivate catalysts in quiescent phases by dynamic operation. On the other hand, the nanostructured catalysts must be stabilized. This is where this the present priority program steps in. Applied to current questions of energy transition a basic understanding of microscopic processes on solid catalysts under dynamic conditions and their effects on activity, selectivity and stability is developed in an interdisciplinary research programme. Fundamental and methodological challenges of dynamic operation are investigated in five closely related subject areas in interdisciplinary collaborations: (A) Characterization using "operando" methods, i.e., under reaction conditions, to understand solid catalysts "at work" under dynamic conditions.(B) Predictive theoretical description of active phases forming under dynamic reaction conditions and elementary steps occurring on the catalyst.(C) Kinetics and multiscale modeling incorporating atomic information to understand the behaviour of catalysts and electrodes under engineering and dynamic conditions.(D) Engineered materials to stabilize catalytically active surface structures and to study them under periodic reaction conditions.(E) Novel reactor and electrolyser concepts for methodical investigations under transient conditions.The expected gain in knowledge should enable the efficient operation of catalytic systems under dynamic conditions in the future. The fundamental understanding of this will be developed using the example of reactions for energy storage and conversion and will create the basis for future technical applications.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
