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Seminar: “Catalysis in a Cage: Molecular Complexes With an Encapsulated Metal Ion as New Electrocatalysts”

We are pleased to invite to to the seminar “Catalysis in a Cage: Molecular Complexes With an Encapsulated Metal Ion as New Electrocatalysts”

Speaker: Dr. Valentin Novikov

SEMINAR ABSTRACT:

In the talk, I will present some of the resent experimental results of my current research into new materials for chemical energy conversion; those include new molecular catalysts for electrochemical generation of molecular hydrogen and/or reduction of carbon dioxide. One of the possible way to ensure long-time activity of a catalyst is to bury the catalytic center, such as a transition metal ion, deep inside a three-dimensional organic capsule (the cage). In the resulting cage compounds (clathrochelates), the metal ion is almost completely isolated from the environment, so it can exist in unusual oxidation states important for practical applications, and its properties can be fine-tuned by introducing different functionalities into the caging ligand. Owing to these features, transition metal clathrochelates not only have a very unusual magnetic behavior (with unusual spin transitions, single molecule magnet properties, etc.), which will be briefly reviewed, but also are very promising electrocatalysts, both homogenous and heterogeneous. In this context, I will focus on modern spectroscopic methods that assist in exploring molecular mechanisms of electrochemical H2 generation and CO2 reduction catalyzed by molecular electrocatalysts. Special attention will be also given to the design of spectroelectrochemical cells coupled with different variants of magnetic resonance spectroscopy for in situ studies of molecular mechanisms of photo- and electrocatalysis. Finally, I will show why every modern laboratory needs a 3D printer and how fast-prototyping systems may be used to optimize the activity of different electrocatalysts.

SPEAKER INTRODUCTION:

dr-valentin-novikovDr. Valentin Novikov graduated with an MSc degree from Higher Chemical College of RAS at D.I. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology. In 2009, he obtained his PhD degree in Physical Chemistry and Chemistry of Organoelement Compounds from the Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds of Russian Academy of Sciences (INEOS RAS). In 2016, he was appointed the Head of Department of Physical Methods and the Deputy Director of INEOS RAS.
Over the last 10 years, Dr. Novikov has authored more than 60 publications, and has been a principal investigator of eight research grants from the Russian Science Foundation, Russian Foundation for Basic Research, and Council of the President of the Russian Federation for young scientists. He also supervised MS and PhD students and taught both undergraduate and post-graduate courses on magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Dr. Novikov’s research interests include electrochemical energy storage, development of new electrocatalysts and photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution and carbon dioxide reduction, molecular magnetism and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance).

If you like to participate and for further information or questions, please Liliya Abaimova.

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