Molecular Catalysts Heterogenized on Carbon Nitride Materials for Photocatalytic Oxidation Reactions

• Grant number: 25/08464-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 20, 2025
• End date: December 19, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Ivo Freitas Teixeira
• Grantee: Luana Luzia Barros da Silva
• Supervisor: Carla Casadevall Serrano
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Institut Català D'Investigació Química, Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/03714-6 - Single Atoms Supported on Crystalline Carbon Nitrides Catalysts for Selective Benzene Oxidation to Phenol, BP.IC

Abstract

Selective oxidation reactions, including the activation of inert C-H bonds and water oxidation, are particularly relevant for the production of fine chemicals and sustainable energy conversion technologies. Among emerging catalytic materials, carbon nitrides have gained significant attention due to their composition of earth-abundant elements, low cost, chemical stability, and semiconductor properties, making them suitable for both catalytic and photocatalytic applications. Recently, ionic carbon nitrides, such as poly(heptazine imide)(PHI), have emerged in the field of carbon nitride materials, offering higher crystallinity, improved charge transport, and the ability to stabilize metal cations or complexes within their anionic framework. These characteristics enable the rational design of highly active and selective catalytic sites. Building on this potential, the present project aims to develop novel hybrid catalysts for oxidation reactions, such as water oxidation. Specifically, we aim the functionalization of carbon nitride surfaces to Ru-based (and other metals) molecular catalysts for water oxidation, optimizing their photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation. We envision that the immobilization of metal-based water oxidation catalysts onto carbon nitride materials will allow for better charge separation and catalytic efficiency.We believe that the outcomes of this study will contribute to the advancement of carbon nitride-based photocatalysts, with potential applications in other oxidation reactions, such as benzene oxidation, the main goal of the undergraduate researcher's project in Brazil.