CRC: Coupling Redox Processes to Drive Chemical Reactivity: New Catalysts for Hydrogen Production

该奖项支持亚利桑那大学的理查德·格拉斯、丹尼斯·埃文斯和丹尼斯·利希滕贝格共同努力，开发受氢酶启发产生氢气的合成催化剂。在他们的体系中，从甲基紫精或苯二酚衍生的低电势氧化还原配体与能够将氢离子还原为氢的双铁体系偶联。该团队将利用光电子能谱和电化学，并辅之以理论计算，努力了解配体结构的哪些方面对将氧化还原电位和催化活性调节到最佳水平最重要。这项研究可能会导致用于氢气生产和燃料电池的新催化剂，从而为可持续能源供应所需的新技术做出贡献。该项目由化学合作研究计划(CRC)资助，为本科生和研究生提供了在合成、电催化、光谱学和理论等非常广泛的领域获得知识和技能的绝佳机会。来自图森市人口结构不同的高中的高中教师和学生团队也将参与这项研究。

This award supports the collaborative efforts of Richard Glass, Dennis Evans and Dennis Lichtenberger, all at the University of Arizona, to develop synthetic catalysts for hydrogen generation inspired by hydrogenase enzymes. In their systems, a low potential redox ligand derived from methyl viologen or quinone is coupled to a di-iron system capable of reducing hydronium ions to hydrogen. The team will utilize photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemistry augmented by theoretical calculations in an effort to understand what aspects of ligand structure are most important in tuning the redox potential and catalytic activity to optimal levels.This research may lead to new catalysts useful in hydrogen production and in fuel cells and therefore contribute to the new technologies needed for sustainable energy supplies. This project is funded through the Collaborative Research in Chemistry Program (CRC) and provides outstanding opportunities for undergraduates and graduate students to acquire knowledge and skills in very broad areas of synthesis, electrocatalysis, spectroscopy and theory. Teams of high school teachers and students from demographically diverse high schools in Tucson will also participate in this research.