Researchers have developed a new metal-free organic catalyst that can produce hydrogen by collecting mechanical energy

Metal-free porous organic catalysts were developed by researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Science Research (JNCASR) and other institutions. |Photo source: Freepik

In an interdisciplinary study, researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Science Research (JNCASR) have worked with other institutions to develop a new, cost-effective metal-free organic catalyst that can effectively produce efficient hydrogen fuels by harvesting mechanical energy.

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the transition to sustainable alternatives based on renewable energy has become increasingly critical to reduce the impact of global warming and fossil fuels.

Change the source of the game

“Green hydrogen (H₂) fuel has become a game-changing renewable and clean-burning energy source that does not generate direct carbon emissions and is only used as a by-product when used in fuel cells,” it said.

Professor Tapas K. Maji of the Chemical and Physical Units of JNCASR and his research team developed a covalent organic framework (COF) based on metal-free donors for piezoelectric water decomposition.

This study published in Advanced Functional Materials demonstrates a Covalent organic framework (COF) built from imide linkages between organic donor molecule tris(4-aminophenyl)amine (TAPA) and acceptor molecule pyromellitic dianhydride (PDA) acceptor exhibiting unique ferrielectric (FiE) ordering, which showed efficient piezocatalytic activity for water splitting to produce H2.

“This discovery breaks the traditional concept that ferroelectric (FE) materials of heavy metals or transition metals are used as piezoelectric materials to catalyze the reaction of moisture,” the department said.

Professor Maji and his research team used simple donor molecules like TAPA and acceptor molecules like PDA to build a COF system with strong charge transfer properties that produces dipoles (separate between positive and negative charges).

Structurally unstable

This leads to instability of the lattice structure, resulting in FIE sorting. These FIE dipoles interact with the movement of flexible distorted molecules in the material, making them react to mechanical pressure. As a result, when mechanically stimulated, the material can generate pairs of electron pores, making it a highly efficient piezoelectric for water splitting produced by H2. The team consists of four other researchers from JNCASR: Adrija Ghosh, Surabhi Menon, Dr. Sandip Biswas and Dr. Anupam Dey.

In addition to JNCASR, Dr. Supriya Sahoo and Professor Ramamoorthy Boomishankar of the Indian Institute of Science and Technology, Professor Jan K. Zaręba of Pune and Poland University of Science and Technology have made important contributions to the current interdisciplinary research.