Metal organic frameworks as catalysts for improving the efficiency of photocatalytic reactions 1=Energy 2=Catalysis

植物已经进化成获取太阳能，并利用收获的能量通过光合作用将二氧化碳和水转化为碳水化合物。受自然光合作用的启发，利用无机和有机材料进行类似的光化学反应的人工系统和装置作为一种潜在的不依赖化石燃料和二氧化碳排放的可再生能源生产手段，引起了人们极大的关注。光催化分解水形成氢和氧，这些氢和氧可以在燃料电池中高效地转化为电能，这有可能为正在制造的电动汽车提供能量。此外，光催化还原二氧化碳不仅可以去除大气中的二氧化碳，还可以在现有的能源供应基础设施中提供更容易储存、分配和利用的燃料。作为一类新的无机-有机杂化材料，金属-有机骨架(MOF)为设计和研究人工光合作用系统提供了一个有趣的平台。MOF原则上可以在单一固体中包含光敏剂和催化中心，并提供将人工光合作用的基本步骤整合到单一材料中的结构组织。MOF催化剂在光诱导CO2还原中的光催化活性仍无法与无机半导体催化剂相媲美，这促使我们进一步开发耐用、低成本、高性能的MOF催化剂。在这个项目中，我们将研究捕光络合物(Ir、Re、Ru络合物和卟啉单元)引入到锆基MOF(UIO-66)的配体中。UIO-66表现出光催化活性，因为它能够像半导体一样工作。这一策略不仅可以有效地促进光的捕获，还可以促进能量转换过程中的电荷分离，使MOF在光催化过程中成为优异的光敏剂。MOF。MOF的孔中还将负载贵金属纳米颗粒，如铂(PT)，作为助催化剂。实验研究将提供对材料化学的基本了解，这将支持改进技术的开发。实验方法将建立在我们在设计成分、形貌和结构可控的催化剂方面的经验和专业知识的基础上。详细的催化剂表征，将提供有关催化剂结构和化学性质的基本信息。催化结果将以迭代的方式反馈给材料合成，以优化和微调材料的性能，从而实现高效的过程。该项目符合英国最近宣布的“清洁增长”战略，并为未来的无碳移动铺平了道路。这也符合EPSRC的物理科学主题和EPSRC的“维护”中的“催化”研究领域。

Plants have evolved to harvest solar energy and use the harvested energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates via photosynthesis. Inspired by the natural photosynthesis, artificial systems and devices using inorganic and organic materials to perform similar photochemical reactions has attracted considerable attention as a potential means of renewable energy production with no reliance on fossil fuels and no carbon dioxide emission. Photocatalytic water splitting forms hydrogen and oxygen which could be efficiently converted to electricity in fuels cells that has potential to energise the electric cars being built. In addition, photocatalytic reduction of CO2 not only removes CO2 from the atmosphere but also provides fuels that is much easier to store, distribute, and utilize within the existing energy supply infrastructure As a new family of inorganic-organic hybrid materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) serve as an interesting platform to design and study artificial photosynthetic systems. MOFs can in principle contain photosensitizers and catalytic centers in a single solid and provide the structural organization to integrate the fundamental steps of artificial photosynthesis into a single material. The photoactivities of MOF catalysts in photo-induced CO2 reduction are still not comparable with those of inorganic semiconductors, which motivates us to further develop durable, low-cost, and high-performance MOF catalysts. In this project, we will investigate the introduction of Light-harvesting complexes (Ir, Re, Ru complexes and porphyrin units) into the ligands of Zr-based MOFs (UiO-66). UiO-66 exhibits photocatalytic activity because of its ability to act like a semiconductor. This strategy can not only effectively promote light harvesting but also facilitate the charge separation in the energy conversion process, rendering MOFs as excellent photosensitizers in the photocatalytic process. MOFs. The pores of the MOFs will also be loaded with precious metal nanoparticles, e.g. platinum (Pt), as a co-catalyst. Experimental studies will deliver fundamental understanding of the chemistry of the materials which will support development of improved technology. The experimental approach will build on our experience and expertise of design of catalysts with controlled composition, morphology and structure. Detailed catalyst characterisation, will provide essential information on catalyst structure and chemical properties. The catalytic results will feedback to the material synthesis in an iterative fashion to optimise and fine-tune the materials' properties for an efficient process. This project is in line with the UK's recently announced 'Clean growth' strategy and pave the way towards a carbon free future mobility. It is also in line with the EPSRC's theme of Physical sciences and the research area of 'Catalysis' which is in 'maintain' in EPSRC's portfolio.