Master’s and Bachelor’s Thesis assignment: Artificial Photosynthesis – Building a Device that Mimics Nature's Leaves
Are you passionate about renewable energy and cutting-edge technology? Join a team that is pioneering the future of clean energy by replicating one of nature's most extraordinary processes – photosynthesis.
Nature has perfected photosynthesis to convert over 100 terawatts of solar energy into biomass, exceeding our global energy consumption by a factor of ten. This astonishing process, powered by sunlight, water oxidation, and CO₂ reduction, is carried out seamlessly within nanometer-scale structures in the thylakoid membrane of plant cells. Our goal is to recreate this “microreactor” in an artificial leaf – scalable, efficient, and capable of performing sustainable chemical conversions.
In this Master’s thesis project, you will:
- Design and build an artificial photosynthesis device that integrates water oxidation catalysts, CO₂ reduction catalysts, membranes, and light absorbers.
- Work with advanced nanofabrication techniques such as thin-film deposition, focusing on Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) to engineer precise nanoscale structures.
- Gain expertise in electrochemical techniques critical to industries focusing on batteries, fuel cells, electrolysis, and electrochemical synthesis.
- Master infrared spectroscopy techniques, widely used in both academic and industrial laboratories, to study molecular interactions and reaction dynamics.
This project offers a unique opportunity to dive into the chemical conversion of small molecules, an area in high demand in the Dutch job market for engineers and scientists. Additionally, you will develop essential skills in nanofabrication – a critical expertise for the semiconductor and chip manufacturing industries.
Supervision: You will be closely mentored by Asst. Prof. Dr. Georgios Katsoukis and Prof. Dr. Guido Mul, from the Photocatalytic Synthesis Group in the Department of Chemical Engineering.
For more information, please feel free to reach out to: g.katsoukis@utwente.nl