Tailored Hybrid Nanomaterials for Plasmon-Mediated Photocatalysis

• Applicant: Dr. Christian Rossner
• Subject Area: Preparatory and Physical Chemistry of Polymers ; Polymer Materials
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 466182523

This proposal aims at establishing novel photocatalytic systems, which are enhanced in their performance and as well interactive with the chemical environment. Initially, we will study static systems to understand how the dimension and spatial arrangement of plasmonic nanoparticles influences the performance of photocatalytic entities. A particular emphasis will be on systems dominated by electromagnetic hot-spots. Toward this goal, RAFT polymers will be used as well-defined linker and spacer to precisely arrange the photocatalysts and the plasmonic nanoparticles into ordered nanostructures, in order to identify structural features that lead to photocatalytic rate modification. For this purpose, a model reaction will be used to assess the kinetics of plasmon-mediated photocatalysis toward an optimization of the photocatalytic systems with regard to their dimension and arrangement structure. Beside the structural optimization of such photocatalytic systems, it will also be tested if they can be externally regulated by implementing adaptive polymers at a later stage of the project.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Andreas Fery