Prof. Dr. Victor Mougel, ETH Zurich
| Start Date | 08.11.2022 - 16:30 |
| Location | University of Zurich, Department of Chemistry Lecture Hall Y03-G-95 |
Selective electrochemical transformation of small molecules (CO2, H2O, NO3-) into energy-dense compounds is a promising strategy for converting these abundant and potentially harmful molecules into value-added products. However, efficient and selective earth abundant metal catalysts for these reactions are still scarce. We will present here an array of strategies inspired from biological systems to promote such electrocatalytic transformations with high selectivity and efficiency. The importance of tackling these challenging reaction at multiple scale will be illustrated by a series of molecular and heterogeneous catalysts replicating enzymatic features, from their active sites including secondary features such as hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains to the overall shape of organs involved in gas trapping. A special focus will be given to electron and proton transfer processesusing Iron-Sulfur clusters, and the development of CPET mediators for the generation of metal hydride species.