ANR PECALO

Dates:
October 2020 – October 2024

Project coordinator:
Chemistry and Interdisciplinarity, Synthesis, Analysis, Modeling (CEISAM Nantes)

Partner laboratories :

• IMN
• Molecular Electrochemistry Laboratory (LEM Paris)
• Laboratory for interface and thin-film physics (LPICM Palaiseau)

IMN staff involved:
Nicolas BARREAU, Ludovic ARZEL, Lionel ASSMANN, Stéphane JOBIC

Artificial photosynthesis is a field of research that will have a major impact on the ecological transition to low-carbon energies. This project aims, for the first time, to develop a tandem photoelectrochemical device to reduce CO2 to CO with the concomitant oxidation of an alcohol to a carbonyl derivative, so as to produce compounds with economic value at both electrodes. At the end of the project, the cell will have high solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency (3%) and high stability (100 h).

These objectives will be achieved by combining highly active CO2 reduction catalysts based on abundant transition metal complexes from the 3d series, nitroxide-based alcohol oxidation catalysts, copper chalcogenide-based photocathodes (CuInxGa1-xSe2: CIGS) and amorphous silicon photoanodes. A novel cross-linking method will be used to stabilize the adhesion of the catalysts to the electrodes. This project brings together four teams: CEISAM and IMN at the University of Nantes, LEM at the University of Paris and LPICM at the Ecole Polytechnique in Saclay, with recognized specialists in six key disciplines: semiconductors (CIGS and amorphous silicon), solid-state chemistry, organic synthesis, coordination chemistry, inorganic chemistry, electro and photoelectrocatalysis.