Electrocatalysis under confinement: CO2-reduction with molecular catalysts immobilized on ordered mesoporous carbons (B07*)

• Subject Area: Statistical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems, Soft and Fluid Matter, Biological Physics ; Polymer Materials ; Preparatory and Physical Chemistry of Polymers ; Technical Chemistry ; Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 358283783

Ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) films with distinct pore sizes in the range of 3-18 nm and an adjusted wall polarity will be synthesized to design thin film electrodes (TFE) and gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) for an optimized electrocatalytic reduction of CO2. The catalysts are selectively immobilized inside the mesopores via a silylation strategy. Confinement effects and the activity/selectivity of the electrocatalysts will be electrochemically characterized, and full cell measurements will be conducted to evaluate the stability and the scalability of the confinement effects. Relevant microscopic processes will be elucidated via simulations in order to set up an adequate continuum-based reaction-diffusion model for the full electrocatalytic cycle.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1333: Molecular Heterogeneous Catalysis in Confined Geometries
• Applicant Institution: Universität Stuttgart
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Christian Holm; Professor Dr.-Ing. Elias Klemm; Professor Dr. Stefan Naumann