NSF-ANR CHE: Bridging Innovative Coordination Complexes of Earth-abundant Metals for Efficient Photocatalysis

With the support of the Chemical Catalysis program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Gonghu Li of the University of New Hampshire is studying new photocatalysts based on Earth-abundant metals. The chemical industry relies heavily on noble metals that are scarce and thus expensive. Earth-abundant metals such as copper and nickel are promising and sustainable alternatives to noble metals due to their abundance, affordability, and lower environmental impact. We aim to design and synthesize complexes of Earth-abundant metals and link them together with chemical bonds, forming large, supramolecular photocatalysts. These photocatalysts will be used to transform carbon dioxide, a renewable feedstock, into valuable chemicals and energy-rich fuels using visible light as the primary energy source. Therefore, this project is focused on innovative photocatalysts and addresses concrete environmental challenges. This project involves an international collaboration between Professor Li and Professors Clémence Queffélec, Yann Pellegrin, and Aurelien Planchat of Nantes University, France, who provide expertise in synthetic chemistry needed for this project; the French team is being funded by the National Research Agency (ANR) in France. The collaboration will provide excellent training opportunities for full participation of women and underrepresented minorities in clean energy and catalysis. With the support of the Chemical Catalysis program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Gonghu Li of the University of New Hampshire is studying new supramolecular photocatalysts based on Earth-abundant metals. There are few efficient molecular photocatalytic systems based entirely on non-noble metals. We aim to fill this gap by designing and synthesizing supramolecular photocatalysts based on Cu(I) and Ni(II) coordination complexes that are effectively coupled by covalent linkers. We hypothesize that rationally designed covalent linkers will enable the tuning of photo-induced charge separation and multi-electron catalysis. Our hypothesis will be tested by synergistic research tasks, including synthesis, photocatalysis, and in situ and time-resolved spectroscopic studies. The proposed research will contribute to the development of innovative photocatalysts based on Earth-abundant metals. Results obtained through this research will advance the fundamental understanding regarding how covalent linkers between photosensitizers and molecular catalysts dictate photoinduced electron transfer and subsequent fuel-forming catalysis. This project features an international collaboration between Professor Li and researchers at Nantes University in France, who provide complementary expertise needed for this project. The collaboration will provide excellent training opportunities for full participation of women and underrepresented minorities in clean energy and catalysis. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.