The conversion of sunlight into fuels and chemicals, using abundant molecules such as water and carbon dioxide as feedstocks, is key to meeting the challenge of a clean energy transition and a decarbonized energy system. However, the development of breakthrough technologies for the direct conversion of sunlight into fuels is currently hampered by serious limitations, including the need to reduce the amount of raw materials and replace noble metals with earth-abundant elements to be cheap and sustainable, and to improve light harvesting and charge management to increase the solar-to-fuel energy conversion efficiency.
In this context, SYNFLUXLUMICALS aims to develop innovative strategies to collect and use light more efficiently in solar fuel devices. It is based on a Nature-inspired approach targeting to understand, control, and synchronize both the spatial and temporal aspects from photon absorption to charge creation, transport, and utilization across hybrid interfaces. It leverages advancements from the field of photovoltaics and multi-electronic catalysis to promote the emergence and ramp-up of dye-sensitized photocatalytic (PC) and photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) devices based exclusively on Earth-abundant components.
More specifically, devices will be designed and developed to maximize the efficiency of visible light harvesting through different combinations of light absorbers with complementary absorptions (antenna effect, co-sensitization, Z-scheme) incorporated in various platforms (molecule, biological, inorganic). The photogenerated charges will then be used more efficiently for multi-electronic catalysis (proton reduction to H2 or CO2 reduction to CO/HCOOH) thanks to the introduction of specific charge storage sites, tailored catalyst framework, and substrate concentrating scaffolds. Benchmarking the activity of the different PC and PEC architectures will allow to select the best-performing ones to be integrated in a complete device. Significant breakthroughs will be made thanks to:
- Innovative surface engineering strategies for controlled organization and compartmentalization of the different components (light absorbers, electron storage sites, catalysts) at multiple hybrid interfaces,
- A wide range of advanced spectroscopic characterization techniques, some performed under operando conditions, to unravel the photoinduced energy and electron transfer dynamics in these devices, and to decipher potential deactivation processes that limit performance and stability.
This global approach will be implemented by a consortium of 19 partners, bringing together the most prominent French experts in the fields of bioinspired catalysis, artificial photosynthesis and photovoltaics, with skills in molecular synthesis, materials science, photoelectrochemistry, catalysis, modeling, and advanced spectroscopic characterization. Addressing cutting-edge questions related to light and charge management at various hybrid interfaces, as well as unlocking pressing issues for the development of sustainable and low-cost PC and PEC devices, are the expected outcomes, which are essential before moving on to larger scale demonstration devices. Last but not least, SYNFLUXLUMICALS will contribute to the training of young researchers in a field with a high societal impact and will help to promote the contribution of the French scientific community to a climate-neutral society.

Philipp GOTICO

Porteur du projet

Partner 1: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA) - Coordinator

T1: JOLIOT-LMB (Laboratoire des Mécanismes fondamentaux de la Bioénergétique)

Key expertise: Photophysics, photoelectrocatalysis, dynamic catalysis

People Involved: P. Gotico (PM, TL, TR), P. Muller, A. Quaranta, W. Leibl

T2: JOLIOT-LBMS (Laboratoire Bioénergétique, Métalloprotéines et Stress)

Key expertise: Ultrafast photophysics, multiple exciton generation

People Involved: M. Llansola-Portoles (TL, TR), A. Pascal, B. Robert

T3: IRAMIS (Institut Rayonnement-Matière de Saclay)

Key expertise: preparation and functionalization of imogolite nanotubes

People Involved: S. Le Caer (TL, TR), A. Thill, P. Picot

T4: LCBM1 (Laboratoire Chimie et Biologie des Métaux)

Key expertise: bioinspired multielectronic catalysis, photoelectrochemical processes, solar fuels

People Involved: M. Chavarot-Kerlidou (DPM, WPL, TL, TR), B. Reuillard, J. Fize, V. Artero,

T5: LCBM2 (Laboratoire Chimie et Biologie des Métaux)

Key expertise: amyloid fibers, photocatalysis

People Involved: M. Koepf (TL), V. Forge

T6: SYMMES (Systèmes Moléculaires et nanoMatériaux pour l'Énergie et la Santé)

Key expertise: organic dyes for solar energy conversion

People Involved: R. Demadrille (TL, TR), C. Aumaitre, Y. Kervella

Partner 2: Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)

T7: LASIRE (Laboratoire de Spectroscopie pour les Interactions, la Réactivité et l'Environnement)

Key expertise: Ultrafast spectroscopy of porous materials

People Involved: V. De Waele (WPL), T. Roland (TR), A. Moissette, M. Hureau, J. Dubois

T8: UCCS (Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide)

Key expertise: Heterogeneous photo/thermo-catalysis

People Involved: A. Khodakov (TL, TR), V. Ordomsky

T9: IRCELYON (Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse et l’environnement)

Key expertise: MOF/COF-based materials, spectroscopy

People Involved: M. Prévot (WPL, TL, TR), J. Canivet, E. Quadrelli, L. Piccolo

T10: INL (Institut des Nanotechnologies de Lyon)

Key expertise: Semiconductor engineering

People Involved: J. Penuelas (TL, TR), R. Bachelet, G. Saint-Girons, C. Furgeaud, A. Lamirand, P. Regreny

T11: CEISAM (Chimie et Interdisciplinarité Synthèse, Analyse, Modélisation))

Key expertise: Organic dyes with tailored photophysical properties, photoelectrocatalysis

People Involved: F. Odobel (WPL, TL, TR), Y. Pellegrin, S. Diring, S. Pascal

T12: IPVF (Institut Photovoltaïque d'Île-de-France)

Key expertise: ALD deposition and characterization of oxide-based thin film materials

People Involved: N. Schneider (TL, TR), N. Naghavi, D. Coutancier

T13: LPICM (Laboratoire de Physique des Interfaces et des Couches Minces)

Key expertise: Si-based semiconductor nanowires

People Involved: P. Roca i Cabarrocas (TR), P. Boulkine

T14: ISMO (Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay)

Key expertise: Pump-pump-probe transient absorption and time-resolved Raman spectroscopy

People Involved: M.-H. Ha-Thi (WPL, TR), T. Pino, K. Steenkeste, C. Lefumeux

T15: IPCMS (Institut de physique et chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg)

Key expertise: Ultrafast spectroscopy (fs transient absorption and fluorescence techniques)

People Involved: S. Haacke (TR), H. Althubyani, A. Marquette

Partner 3: Université Paris Saclay (UPS)

T16: ICMMO (Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d'Orsay)

Key expertise: Molecular homogeneous catalysis, electrocatalysis, spectroelectrochemistry

People Involved: Z. Halime (WPL, TL, TR), M. Sircoglou, A. Aukauloo

Partner 4: Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon (ENSL)

T17: LCH (Laboratoire de Chimie)

Key expertise: ionic liquids, theoretical chemistry

People Involved: T. Le Bahers (WPL, TL, TR), S. Steinmann, M. Costa-Gomes, A. Padua

Partner 5: Synchrotron SOLEIL

T18: Sustainable Energy

Key expertise: synchrotron-based characterization techniques, in situ and operando analysis

People Involved: B. Lassalle (TR), J.-B. Brubach, E. Fonda.

Partner 6: Sorbonne Université (SU)

T19: IPCM (Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire)

Key expertise: POM-based hybrid assemblies for solar energy conversion

People Involved: G. Izzet (TL, TR), A. Proust, S. Blanchard, F. Volatron