Solar fuels production via artificial photosynthetic processes is a great scientific and engineering challenge due to its complexity. All the approaches described to date open new paths to improve the CO2 photocatalytic reduction, but it is still necessary to develop new catalysts that mimic natural photosynthesis with high enough efficiency so as to consider Artificial Photosynthesis as a viable industrial process. Although there have been considerable advances in the design and synthesis of different multifunctional catalysts based on semiconductors, there are still many fundamental questions to be answered regarding the CO2 valorisation processes. The complexity and lack of knowledge of the role of these new systems in CO2 reduction brings forward the need of performing more theoretical and experimental studies that help to understand the behaviour of the different multifunctional catalysts in the artificial photosynthesis process. In this project, different innovative strategies have been proposed in order to avoid the inherent problems of classical photocatalysts. The results described above represent a step beyond the state of the art in solar fuels production, novel materials synthesis, development of innovative operando characterization tools and the design and built-up of the next generation of solar photoreactors.
This project envisages impacts in different domains, with scientific, environmental, social and economic benefits at a worldwide level.
- Scientific-technological benefits are based in the improvement of the production of solar fuels from CO2 conversion that strongly contribute to the H2020 challenges and those identified by “The Energy Challenge”, related to Low Carbon Technologies with the main objective to develop and bring to market affordable, cost-effective and resource-efficient technology solutions to decarbonize the energy system in a sustainable way, secure energy supply and complete the energy internal market. The most significant advances have been published in international high impact SCI journals. Important efforts will also be devoted to the scientific dissemination of the most appealing results obtained, trying to communicate and interact with the society. In addition, it would be important to remark that patent applications presented when significant advances are achieved with potential industrial scope.
- Environmental and health benefits. HyMAP will have a direct impact on reducing the anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere and therefore on the fight against climate change that has a direct impact in the environment and health as is summarized in EU challenges and policies, such as: Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials challenge and Health 2020.
- Economic and social benefits. The combination of technologies presented in this project may have a huge economic potential. Nowadays, worldwide efforts are being devoted to the development of new materials for emerging applications as proposed here. It would be important to remark that application patents will be presented when significant advances are achieved with potential industrials.
From a social point of view, in addition to the benefits related to environment and health, HyMAP will contribute to the socialization of Science, in general, and of the challenges faced in the project, in particular, through intense outreach and dissemination activities in our web-site or other national or international events such as: European Researcher's Night, ERC week, Week of science…
