PHOTO-CONTROLLED CATALYSIS: Advanced spectroscopy on catalytically active hybrid materials

Research Project, 2021 – 2024

A few years ago, scientists in the UK published a paper where they show that it is possible to control the mechanism of electron transfer in donor-acceptor assemblies by selective excitation of certain vibrational modes. This was an important proof of concept that we intend to use in this project. Here we aim to control yields, rates and mechanisms of multielectron transfer reactions in photocatalytically active materials. Specifically, we will address this matter in a hybrid material that we´ve previously developed where our preliminary results suggest that we have competing reaction pathways. We will use both conventional transient absorption spectroscopy methods as well as develop so called pump-pump-probe methods for studying our materials and how they can be further improved. We will complement the spectroscopic studies with materials characterization techniques such as XPS, SEM and TEM to address the common issue in hybrid-materials for catalysis that the active material is not equal to the starting material. The project will result in a detailed understanding of what governs the catalytic activity in hybrid, inorganic materials and how we can chose mechanism by choice of conditions. Specifically, we aim at answereing the following questions: - Can we control electron transfer mechanisms by using an additional light source subsequent to photoexcitation with visible light? Can we control formation of a specific desired product in cleverly designed hybrid materials?