Prof. Antoni Llobet

Catalysis

Group Leader:

Antoni Llobet

Administrative Support:

María José Gutiérrez

Postdoctoral Researchers:

Jan Holub / Marcos Gil / Vasilis Nikolaou / Sebastian Amthor / Bruno Aramburu / Anna Mary Beiler / Julia Beerhues 

PhD Students:

Marta Ventosa / Navid Jameeimoghaddam (until Feb.) / Martina Salati / Koushik Ranu / Marco Nicasio / Paula Tris / Zhimei Luo

Visiting students:

Sergi López

Summary

The group of Prof. Llobet develops research in the field of redox catalysis using transition metal complexes for the oxidation and reduction of organic and inorganic substrates of technological interest. Its general objective is to understand the various factors that affect the efficiency and selectivity of the catalysts, paying special attention to the electronic structure and the spatial arrangement of the transition metals. The group focuses specifically on the catalytic oxidation of water to molecular dioxygen, taking into account the implications of this reaction for new energy conversion schemes based on artificial photosynthesis. The final objective is the generation of clean and renewable fuels with high energy density.

Publications

CH-π interaction boosts photocatalytic CO2 reduction activity of a molecular cobalt catalyst anchored on carbon nitride
Wang, J. W.; Gil-Sepulcre, M.; Huang, H. H.; Solano, E.; Mu, Y. F.; Llobet, A.; Ouyang, G.
Cell Rep. Phys. Sci. 2021, 100681

Synthesis, Structure, and Ammonia Oxidation Catalytic Activity of Ru-NH3 Complexes Containing Multidentate Polypyridyl Ligands
J. Holub, N. Vereshchuk, F. J. Sánchez-Baygual, M. Gil-Sepulcre, J. Benet-Buchholz, A. Llobet
Inorg. Chem. 202160 (18), 13929–13940

Anode Based on a Molecular Ru Water Oxidation Catalyst Covalently Bonded to Polythiophene
Ventosa, M.; Gil-Sepulcre, M.; Benet-Buchholz, J.; Gimbert-Suriñach, C.; Llobet, A.
ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 20214 (9), 9775–9782

MORE PUBLICATIONS

Robust and Efficient Screen-Printed Molecular Anodes with Anchored Water Oxidation Catalysts
Dürr, R. N.; Chasvised, S.; Gil-Sepulcre, M.; Howe, A:; Hoque, M. A.; N’Guyen, V.; Sadeghi, S.; Reynaud, S.; Cugnet, C.; Authier, L.; Gimbert-Suriñach, C.; Bousquet, A.; Llobet, A.; Billon, L.
ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 20214 (10), 10534–10541

Surface-Promoted Evolution of Ru-bda Coordination Oligomers Boosts the Efficiency of Water Oxidation Molecular Anodes
Gil-Sepulcre, M.; Lindner, J. O.; Schindler, D.; Velasco, L.; Moonshiram, D.; Rüdiger, O.; DeBeer, S.; Stepanenko, V.; Solano, E.; Würthner, F.; Llobet, A.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021143 (30), 11651–11661

Consecutive ligand-based electron transfer in new molecular Cu-based water oxidation catalysts
Gil-Sepulcre, M.; Garrido-Barros, P.; Oldengott, J.; Funes-Ardoiz, I.; Bofill, R.; Sala, X.; Benet-Buchholz; J.; Llobet, A.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 202160 (34), 18639-18644

Fate of the Molecular Ru–Phosphonate Water Oxidation Catalyst under Turnover Conditions
Vereshchuk, N.; Holub, J.; Gil-Sepulcre, M.; Benet-Buchholz, J.; Llobet, A.
ACS Catal. 202111, 5240–5247

Synthesis, Characterization, and Water Oxidation Activity of Isomeric Ru Complexes
Hoque, A.; Dutta Chowdhury, A.; Maji, S.; Benet-Buchholz, J.; Ertem, M. Z.; Gimbert-Suriñach, C.; Kumar Lahiri, G.; Llobet, A.
Inorg. Chem. 202160, 5791−5803

Projects

CONDOR
COmbined suN-Driven Oxidation and CO2 Reduction for renewable energy storage
Collaborative Projects |Ref: 101006839 Web page

LICROX
Light assisted solar fuel production by artificial CO2 reduction and water oxidation
Collaborative Projects | Ref: 951843 Web page

CatFuel
Development of Molecular Catalysts Relevant for Solar Fuels Generation
Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref: PID2019-111617RB-100

CrineSens
Development of a highly-sensitive, fast and durable electrochemical sensor for the in-situ determination of endocrine disruptor chemicals
Call identifier: Programa Proof of Concept 2020 (UAB)

eSCALED
European School on Artificial Leaf: Electrodes Devices
MSCA ITN | Ref: 765376 Web page

RED-CAT
Grup de Catàlisi Redox
AGAUR | Ref: 2017 SGR 1631

 

Theses Supervised

Nataliia Vereshchuk
January 14th, 2021
Universitat Rovira i Virgili
“Water Oxidation Catalysis Using First Row Transition Metals”

Marta Ventosa
March 26th, 2021
Universitat Rovira i Virgili
“Hybrid Systems for Water Oxidation Catalysis”

Features

CO2 conversion among the most demanded technologies by companies
https://www.iciq.org/oligomeric-materials-to-enhance-water-splitting/