Research

Direct conversion (and storage) of energy into chemical bonds constitutes one of the most attractive solutions to the worlds challenging energy demands. For instance, one can envision the production of alternative chemical fuels such as Hydrogen (by water splitting) and Carbohydrate feedstock molecules (by CO2 reduction), through the transformation of either solar energy (Photocatalysis), electrochemical energy (Electrocatalysis) or both (Photo-Electrocatalysis).

Our group develops functional highly porous hybrid organic-inorganic materials, and studies their utilization in new approaches for energy conversion schemes.

Projects

Electrocatalysis of Energy Related Reactions

Development of new electrocatalytic systems (catalysts, supports and ion-transporting materials) for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), and N2 reduction reaction (NRR).

Select publications:

He, W.; Liberman, I.; Rozenberg, I.; Ifraemov, R.; Hod, I. “Electrochemically Driven Cation Exchange Enables the Rational Design of Active CO2 Reduction Electrocatalysts”, Angewandte Chemie, 2020, 132, 2 – 10.

Liberman, I.S; Shimoni, R.S; Singh, C.P.PD; Hod, I. “Active-Site Modulation in a Fe-Porphyrin-Based Metal-Organic Framework Through Ligand Axial Coordination: Accelerating Electrocatalysis and Charge-Transport Kinetics”, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2020, Accepted, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b11355.

He, W.; Ifraemov, R.; Raslin, A.; Hod, I. “Room‐Temperature Electrochemical Conversion of Metal–Organic Frameworks into Porous Amorphous Metal Sulfides with Tailored Composition and Hydrogen Evolution Activity”, Advanced Functional Materials, 2018, 28 (18), 1707244.

Photo-Electrochemical Cells and Photocatalysis for Solar Fuels

Novel design and assembly of light-harvesting unit/co-catalyst arrays using porous coordination networks.

  • Study their photophysical mechanisms of operation: charge separation/injection kinetics
  • Сharacterize the catalytic activity and selectivity toward solar fuel reactions

Select publications:

Ifraemov, R.; Shimoni, R.; He, W.; Peng, G.; Hod, I. “A Metal-Organic Framework Film with Switchable Anodic and Cathodic Behavior in a Photo-Electrochemical Cell”, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2019, 7, 3046-3053.

Cardenas-Morcoso, D.; Ifraemov, R.; García-Tecedor, M.; Liberman, I.; Gimenez, S.; Hod, I. “A Metal-Organic Framework Converted Catalyst that Boosts Photo-Electrochemical Water Splitting”, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2019, DOI: 10.1039/c9ta01559k.

Fundamental Aspects of Nano-Electrochemistry

Developing new concepts and techniques for studying and analyzing nano-confined electrochemical reactions.

Select publications:

Liberman, I.; He, W.; Shimoni, R.; Ifraemov, R.; Hod, I. “Spatially confined electrochemical conversion of metal-organic frameworks into metal-sulfides and their in situ electrocatalytic investigation via scanning electrochemical microscopy”, Chemical Science, 2019, DOI: 10.1039/C9SC04141A.

Singh, C.P.; Liberman, I.; Shimoni, R.; Ifraemov, R. ; Hod, I. “ Pristine versus Pyrolyzed Metal-Organic Framework Based Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts: Evaluation of Intrinsic Activity Using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy”, Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 2019, 10, 3630−3636.

Shimoni, R.; He, W.; Liberman, I.; Hod, I. “Tuning of Redox Conductivity and Electrocatalytic Activity in Metal-Organic Framework Films Via Control of Defect Sites Density”, Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2019, 123 (9), 5531–5539 (Part of Young Scientists Special Issue).