With this award, the Chemical Catalysis Program in the Division of Chemistry is funding Dr. Ksenija Glusac of the University of Illinois-Chicago to develop carbon dioxide-reduction chemistry through an approach inspired from nature, particularly from photosynthesis through which plants use sunlight to convert CO2 into useful carbohydrates. This project explores ways in which energy from the sun can be utilized to meet our energy demand. The Glusac research group aims to convert carbon dioxide to methanol, a liquid fuel that can be easily transported and handled. The main challenge in this project is that, in addition to methanol, many other products can be formed from carbon dioxide. Dr. Glusac is exploring catalysts to perform the desired chemical reaction selectively to form methanol with high efficiency. These catalysts are being made from earth-abundant elements, with the aim of enabling their widespread use in future devices. The catalyst needs to absorb light emitted by the sun and then use the absorbed energy to perform useful chemistry. Catalyst/semiconductor hybrid materials that can absorb sunlight and use the absorbed energy for the desired conversion of carbon dioxide to methanol are being investigated. As part of this project, Dr. Glusac is also developing online educational materials for students and general population in the area of photochemistry, a branch of chemistry that investigates how light interacts with molecules.
Inspired by natural photosynthesis, Dr. Ksenija Glusac of the University of Illinois-Chicago is investigating photocatalytic CO2 reduction by metal-free NADH analogs that are photogenerated from NAD+ analogs using water as an electron and proton source. The main hypothesis of this project is that, using a proposed hydride transfer mechanism, the CO2 reduction can be selectively directed toward methanol production. The research thrusts are grouped into two sections: one addressing the ?dark? portion of catalysis, namely the reduction of CO2 by organic hydrides, and the second exploring the closure of the catalytic cycle via photochemical regeneration of those hydrides. The experimental approach involves studying the thermodynamic hydricities of organic hydrides and investigating the kinetics of hydride transfer to either CO2 or an activated form of CO2. The Glusac team is developing systems to effect thermal CO2 hydrogenation using a combination of NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) analogues and Lewis bases, with electrochemical regeneration of organic hydrides using a proton-coupled approach, and photochemical regeneration of organic hydrides using mid- and wide-gap semiconductors. This study is providing new mechanisms for coupling thermodynamically uphill reduction processes with visible light energy. Dr. Glusac's educational activities involve the development of online lecture materials in the area of photochemistry. These video lectures are enabling the dissemination of knowledge to students and the general population interested in the fundamentals and applications of photochemistry.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
