Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Ultrafast Structural Dynamics of Elementary Water-Mediated Proton Transport Processes

Objective

How acids and bases react in water is a question raised since the pioneering days of modern chemistry. Recent decades have witnessed an increased effort in elucidating the microscopic mechanisms of proton exchange between acids and bases and the important mediating role of water in this. With ultrafast spectroscopy it has been shown that the elementary steps in aqueous proton transfer occur on femtosecond to picosecond time scales. Aqueous acid-base neutralization predominantly proceeds in a sequential way via water bridging acid and base molecules. These ultrafast experiments probing molecular transitions in the ultraviolet, visible and mid-infrared spectral ranges, though, only provide limited insight into the electronic structure of acids, bases and the water molecules accommodating the transfer of protons in the condensed phase. Soft-x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), probing transitions from inner-shell levels to unoccupied molecular orbitals, is a tool to monitor electronic structure with chemical element specificity. The aim is now to develop steady-state and time-resolved soft-x-ray spectroscopy of acids and bases in water-poor and water-rich solutions. Here novel liquid flatjet technology is utilized with soft-x-ray sources at synchrotrons as well as table-top laser-based high-order harmonic systems, to elucidate the electronic structural evolution of proton transfer pathways. Questions to be solved are electronic structural changes upon hydrogen bond formation, the nature of hydrated proton species, and the impact of conversion from acid to conjugate base (or base to conjugate acid) in aromatic alcohols, carboxylic and amine compounds, and ultimately the oxygen oxidation state in hydrated protons. Resolving the electronic structural dynamics of elementary steps of aqueous proton transport will furthermore elucidate the role of mediating water in bulk solution, and in specific conditions such as hydrogen fuel cells or trans-membrane proteins.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2017-ADG

See all projects funded under this call

Host institution

FORSCHUNGSVERBUND BERLIN EV
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 2 482 500,00
Address
RUDOWER CHAUSSEE 17
12489 Berlin
Germany

See on map

Region
Berlin Berlin Berlin
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 2 482 500,00

Beneficiaries (1)

My booklet 0 0