Research Projects

Electrochemical water splitting for hydrogen and oxygen production and reduction of CO2 to value added products are promising approaches to provide affordable clean fuel and check the rising CO2 concentration. Commercially and economically viable electrocatalysts to catalyse the multi-step and multi-electron transfer involved in these processes are highly desirable. Metalloporphrins with their stable structure and macrocyclic ring are amenable to structural modulation by varying the metal centre and introduction of axial ligands /substituents. Despite their long history in charge transfer, oxygen transportation and biocatalysis, their potential as electrocatalysts has not yet been fully converged. The project proposes to study structural modifications in metalloporphyrins with the purpose to enhance their catalytic efficiency for electron and proton transfer reactions involved in electrochemical water splitting and CO2 reduction. The proposal will provide reliable directions for synthesis of efficient and inexpensive metalloporphyrin-based electrocatalysts, essential for commercial development of renewable energy technologies.