Bio-Inspiration and H₂ Technologies: Is There a Place for Molecular Chemistry?

Abstract

New directions are urgently needed in energy technologies, and in particular in hydrogen technologies, to raise efficiency and stability of the systems while lowering their cost. Bio-inspiration has a great potential to making breakthroughs in research and development. In particular hydrogenase enzymes compete with platinum as catalysts for ^H2/H+ interconversion and such an activity can be reproduced in synthetic mimics [1, 2] but such molecular systems are often challenged by solid state catalysts, both in terms of activity and stability.
We will show how the immobilization of biomimics onto surfaces allows the preparation of highly active electrode materials compatible with existing PEM electrolysis technology [3-6]. Besides, we will also revisit the structure of reactivity of amorphous molybdenum sulfide, which actually stands as a coordination polymer, therefore bridging the molecular and solid-state sides of ^H2/H+ catalysis [7]

References

Vincent Artero

Vincent Artero, born in 1973, is an alumnus of the École Normale Supérieure (class D/S 93), associate professor of physical sciences (chemistry option) and doctor of the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6). He is currently CEA research director and head of the SolHyCat team at the Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Métaux (CEA/CNRS/Université Grenoble Alpes joint research unit). Inspired by the structure and function of hydrogen-producing biological systems, in particular hydrogenases, Vincent Artero has developed an original and effective approach to bio-inspired catalysis, paving the way for the technological development of new platinum-free molecular catalytic systems for fuel cells and hydrogen production. He was awarded the Grand Prix Mergier-Bourdeix by the Académie des Sciences in 2011 for his fundamental research at the interface between chemistry and biology. He is also the winner of an ERC Starting Grant-consolidator 2012 project (photocatH2ode) aimed at developing molecular photoelectrodes for hydrogen production. Vincent Artero chairs the scientific board of Labex Arcane pour une chimie Biomotivée in Grenoble and is vice-chair of the COST action "_Perspect-H2O" (CM1202) on supramolecular catalysis for the photodecomposition of water. Since 2016, he has also been co-director of the CNRS research group on solar fuels (Solar Fuels-France).