This research thesis will focus on the use of advanced optical spectroscopy (femtosecond pump-probe and two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy) in operando to characterize novel molecules and photo-catalyst that will be used for the light-assisted water spitting. The student will learn how to align homebuilt ultrafast spectrometers pumped by tuneble visible/ NIR pulses generated via non-linear optical parametric amplification, and to track the evolution of the productive charges used to drive the chemical reactions, from charge separation till recombination. This is a highly multidisciplinary project at the interface between non linear optics and spectroscopy, physical chemistry and biology. The project will be performed in the context of an EU-funded project “Plankt-on”, aiming at building a new disruptive methodology for solar energy storage end production. This method would be faster than any biological cycle and complementary to other renewable energy technologies, including photovoltaics, solar thermal, and photo-electrochemical cells as artificial leaf devices.

More Info: margherita.maiuri@polimi.it
Links: https://plankt-on.eu
Petropoulos et al J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2024, 15, 16, 4461–4467 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00372
Russo M. JPC 2022 https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0078911
Maiuri M. et al Nature Chemistry 2018 https://www.nature.com/articles/nchem.2910