PRIN 2022 “MATISSE”

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Title: A “Molecular Lift” for the Control of the Metal Protrusion and Coordination Sphere in Single-Atom Catalysts for CO₂ Electroreduction.

ICCOM Principal Investigator: Giuliano Giambastiani.

Project type: National.

Duration: 16/10/2023 – 15/10/2025.

Abstract: MATISSE will develop a 2.0 generation of single-atom catalysts (SACs) through their surface chemical engineering with ancillary ligands that allow to exploit the beneficial metal-ligand cooperativity in the challenging CO2RR electrocatalytic process. It will translate into a reduction of CO2RR overpotentials along with an increase of the process selectivity over undesired side processes (i.e. HER). The control of the chemical environment of active metal atoms, which includes their coordination number (CN), their coordination geometry (CG) and the nature of the donor atoms set (DAS) is a critical feature to get active and stable SACs. However, their synthesis along with a fine control of the above-mentioned key features remain challenging. In this proposal we’ll combine a simplified chemical protocol based on cheap and abundant raw materials for the synthesis of porous and N-enriched C-networks containing C-N-M sites (M = Fe, Co, Ni) followed by a post-synthetic surface engineering of the resulting carbonaceous materials. In particular, an exohedral functionalization approach will be accomplished to introduce surface dangling arms end-capped with ancillary donor groups suitable to enter the metal-ions coordination sphere.

Coordinator: Giuliano Giambastiani (CNR-ICCOM).

Partnership: CNR-ICCOM, University of Messina, University of Salerno.

ICCOM participants: Giuliano Giambastiani, Giulia Tuci, Ilaria Santoni.

Financed by: Projects MUR PRIN 2022, project code no. 2022K5SX27.

Project overall budget: 191.021,00 €.

ICCOM budget: 65.714,00 €.