As the global energy demand and climate change awareness increases each year, a search for renewable energy conversion technologies have become a priority. The most abundant renewable energy resource we have available is the sun. Unfortunately, the intermittent nature of sunlight does not allow us to depend on solar energy to sustain global energy demands. A solution to this problem is the use of energy-related reactions like H2O using a water splitting device. Another technology that focuses on problem of global warming is CO2 capture and its conversion to higher value molecules. For these solutions an important problem to tackle is the efficiency of the catalysts that perform the reactions. Recently, Rhenium (Re) complexes bearing bipyridine (bpy) ligands have received considerable attention due to C-N bond cleavage on the bpy rings at room temperature. The activation of the bpy rings opens new possibilities for applications in catalysis. In this project, we intercalated these Re(bpy) complexes in zirconium phosphate (ZrP), a proven support for catalysts in extreme acid-base conditions, for its application in energy conversion catalysis. HER and OER are carried out in harsh chemical environments that alter the stability catalysts. The purpose of intercalation is to protect Re(bpy) complexes in ZrP from the harsh chemical environments that these reactions are carried out. On the other hand, schemes for carbon capture are in development. After capture, the goal is to use CO2 to produce more useful molecules that can be starting materials for chemical processes and energy conversion strategies. For this, the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO is the first key step in such schemes. The problem relies in that the efficiency of the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to CO is highly hindered by the competition with the HER. In an electrochemical setup, the HER requires a smaller overpotential than CO2 reduction, thus hindering the latter as most catalysts prefer to carry the HER over it. Hence, it is of current interest the development of catalysts that can perform selectively the reduction of CO2 by overcoming the preference for hydrogen production. In this project, we will address this by studying the selectivity towards carbon dioxide reduction of inorganic complexes. Then, strategies to improve their performance will be implemented such as evaluating activity in a confined environment as supporting the actives species onto robust supports.

Intercalation of rhenium bipyridine complexes with zirconium phosphate nanoparticles for energy-related reactions

256th National Meeting (2018)

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