Synthesis of Heterogels from Metal and Metal Oxide Nanocrystals by Means of Cryogelation Method for Application in Electrocatalysis

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Nadja-Carola Bigall
• Subject Area: Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis
• Term: since 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 321088986

The aim of the project is to produce porous and self-supportive multicomponent gels from shape-controlled synthesized metal-, metal oxide-, and metal-metal oxide hybrid nanoparticles (NP) by means of cryogelling processes in order to investigate their application potential in electrocatalysis. In addition to the material properties of the nanoparticle building blocks such as faceting, size, shape and crystallinity, the targeted combination of materials contributes to the optimization of the electrocatalytic efficiency of the multi-component gel networks. The targeted setting of the important parameters should lead to the optimization of an effective electrocatalyst on the basis of self-supporting nanoparticle-based cryaerogel networks. Due to the high level of control over size, shape and faceting, the nano-particle building blocks required for the gel networks are produced in wet-chemical synthesis routes. The production of the porous and self-supporting multicomponent gel networks is carried out from an aqueous medium using the cryogelation process. By adding a freezing medium, e.g. liquid nitrogen, the gel network formation occurs through a sudden onset of ice crystal growth. The expelled nanocrystals collect in the space between the crystallites, so that they can interconnect to a macroscopic network. The advantage of the cryogelation method that it works independently from surface chemistry, size, shape and facetation of the nanocrystals, here will be exploited to synthesize various multicomponent gel networks incl. gel network-coated electrodes. The different material compositions of the cryo-aerogel-coated electrodes are characterized electrochemically in order to compare the performance capabilities of the structural elements used. Eventually, the application potential of the multicomponent gel networks in the field of electrocatalysis in an aqueous environment is to be tested. The results are interrelated and the important parameters for optimizing the electrocatalysts will be identified and understood.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants