Photocatalytic systems stand out as a robust, affordable and scalable alternative for sustainable chemical synthesis, enabling reactions from green hydrogen production and CO2 reduction, to pollutant degradation and complex organic oxidations. This symposium will showcase state-ofthe- art photocatalytic technologies, with a strong focus on chemical reactivity.
To this end, we invite submissions on topics including photocatalyst development (e.g., oxides, perovskites, quantum dots and carbon-based materials), substrate and product scope, semiartificial systems, co-catalysts to steer selectivity, or mechanistic and spectroscopic insights. In addition, we look forward to contributions on innovative approaches towards real-world applications, including flow systems, photocatalytic sheets, organic solvents and gas-phase reactions, thermal harvesting, desalination, scalability and outdoor benchmarking.
This symposium aims to bring together a wide range of complementary expertise on semiconductors, synthetic chemistry and engineering, which will inspire the next generation of solar-to-chemical technologies. To this end, established and emerging leaders in the field of photocatalysis will present their latest research achievements. Young researchers' active participation will be also fostered through dedicated oral and poster contributions spots.
- Novel photocatalytic materials
- Proton and CO2 reduction
- Oxidation of organic substrates (pollutants, biomass, glycerol, fine chemicals)
- Co-catalysts for improved product selectivity
- Photocatalytic nanoparticles, aerogels, sheets and composites
- Scale-up and engineering challenges
- Flow systems and high-throughput substrate screening
- Solar vapour generation and desalination
- Semi-artificial photosynthetic systems
- Machine learning integrated photocatalysis
Virgil Andrei is a Nanyang Assistant Professor (NAP) in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at NTU Singapore. His research revolves around the integration of renewable energy technologies (photoelectrocatalysis, photovoltaics, thermoelectrics) for effective solar-to-chemical synthesis. His work places a strong focus on rational material, catalyst and device design, introducing modern fabrication techniques towards low-cost, large-scale solar fuel applications.
Virgil was born in Bucharest, Romania. He obtained his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in chemistry from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, where he studied thermoelectric polymer pastes and films in the group of Prof. Klaus Rademann (2014–2016). He then pursued a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Cambridge (2016–2020), where he developed perovskite-based artificial leaves in the group of Prof. Erwin Reisner, working closely with the optoelectronics group of Prof. Richard Friend at the Cavendish Laboratory. During his Title A Research Fellowship at St. John’s College, Cambridge (2020-2025), he introduced unconventional concepts including floating thin-film devices for water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction, pixelated devices for long term hydrogen production, or integrated thermoelectric modules for solar waste heat harvesting. As a visiting Winton Fellow in the group of Prof. Peidong Yang at the University of California, Berkeley (2022), he expanded the reaction scope of these systems further to value-added hydrocarbons and organic oxidation products.
Sixto Giménez (M. Sc. Physics 1996, Ph. D. Physics 2002) is Associate Professor at Universitat Jaume I de Castelló (Spain). His professional career has been focused on the study of micro and nanostructured materials for different applications spanning from structural components to optoelectronic devices. During his PhD thesis at the University of Navarra, he studied the relationship between processing of metallic and ceramic powders, their sintering behavior and mechanical properties. He took a Post-Doc position at the Katholiek Universiteit Leuven where he focused on the development of non-destructive and in-situ characterization techniques of the sintering behavior of metallic porous materials. In January 2008, he joined the Group of Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices of University Jaume I where he is involved in the development of new concepts for photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical devices based on nanoscaled materials, particularly studying the optoelectronic and electrochemical responses of the devices by electrical impedance spectroscopy. He has co-authored more than 80 scientific papers in international journals and has received more than 5000 citations. His current h-index is 31.
Maria Vittoria DozziDr. Galian received her Ph.D in Chemistry at the National University of Cordoba, Argentina in 2001. Then, she was a postdoc researcher at the Polythecnic University of Valencia, University of Valencia and University of Ottawa. During those years, she has studied photosensibilization processes by aromatic ketones using laser flash photolysis techniques and was involved in photonic crystal fiber/semiconductor nanocrystal interaction projects. In 2007, Dr. Galian came back to Spain with a Ramon y Cajal contract to study the surface chemistry of quantum dots and since 2017 she has a permanent position as Scientist Researcher at the University of Valencia. Her main interest is the design, synthesis and characterization of photoactive nanoparticles and multifunctional nanosystems for sensing, electroluminescent applications and photocatalysis.
Our group focus on physical chemistry, materials science, and the application of materials for energy production, studying the synthesis-structure-property relationship of functional materials for energy production. We emphasize developing novel syntheses for advanced materials and devices for solar energy into useful forms of sustainable energy & fuels. Our research lies at the intersection between innovative approaches, fundamental studies, and applying advanced materials for solar energy conversion.
Ji-Hyun JangBio Professional Preparation M.S. in Chemistry, with Honours, University of Bari, Italy, 1996 Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Bari, Italy, 2001 Research interests Prof. L. Manna is an expert of synthesis and assembly of colloidal nanocrystals. His research interests span the advanced synthesis, structural characterization and assembly of inorganic nanostructures for applications in energy-related areas, in photonics, electronics and biology.
Iván Mora-Seró (1974, M. Sc. Physics 1997, Ph. D. Physics 2004) is researcher at Universitat Jaume I de Castelló (Spain). His research during the Ph.D. at Universitat de València (Spain) was centered in the crystal growth of semiconductors II-VI with narrow gap. On February 2002 he joined the University Jaume I. From this date until nowadays his research work has been developed in: electronic transport in nanostructured devices, photovoltaics, photocatalysis, making both experimental and theoretical work. Currently he is associate professor at University Jaume I and he is Principal Researcher (Research Division F4) of the Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM). Recent research activity was focused on new concepts for photovoltaic conversion and light emission based on nanoscaled devices and semiconductor materials following two mean lines: quantum dot solar cells with especial attention to sensitized devices and lead halide perovskite solar cells and LEDs, been this last line probably the current hottest topic in the development of new solar cells.
Markus Niederberger is head of the Laboratory for Multifunctional Materials and full professor at the Department of Materials at ETH Zurich. He studied chemistry at ETH Zurich, where he also received his doctoral degree. After a postdoctoral stay at the University of California at Santa Barbara, he was group leader in the colloid department at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam. His research interests focus on the development of liquid-phase synthesis routes to inorganic nanoparticles and their assembly and processing into macroscopic materials with tailored properties and functionalities for applications in energy storage and conversion.
Ludmilla is an Associate Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the Univeristy of Oxford. She obtained her B.Sc and M.Sc. degrees from the University of Siegen (Germany). During her undergraduate studies she developed an interest in electrochemistry and semiconductor physics driving her to pursue a M.Sc. project on dye-sensitized solar cells in the group of Professor Michael Grätzel at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland). Staying in the same group, Ludmilla worked on oxide thin film photoelectrodes applied in photoelectrochemical water splitting and perovskite solar cells during her Ph.D. degree which she obtained in 2016. She then joined the group of Professor James Durrant at Imperial College London to study photochemical and photophysical processes in semiconductors using time-resolved spectroscopy and shortly after was awarded the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship (2017-2019). Ludmilla began her independent research career as Imperial College Research Fellow (2019-2021) before moving to Oxford in October 2021. Her research at Oxford aims at the design of atomically defined photo- and electrocatalysts that convert CO2, water and other “waste products” to energy-rich fuels and chemicals with high conversion efficiency, selectivity and long operational stability.
Dr. Villa obtained her PhD in Chemistry from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Then, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC) on the conversion of methane to methanol and at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) within an ERC-Proof-of-concept (MICROCLEANERS). In 2018, she joined the Advanced Functional Nanorobots center at the University of Chemistry and Technology (Czech Republic), where she worked as Senior Scientist for three years. Since 2021, she is leading a research group on advanced photocatalytic materials for energy and environmental applications at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ).
Katherine has a strong multidisciplinary profile gained by working at 8 research centers, Colombia, Spain, Czech Republic, and Belgium. Her research areas span from water decontamination, hydrogen generation, selective oxidation processes to light-driven micro/nanoswimmers. She has received important recognitions (MSCA-UNIPD-COFUND, Beatriu de Pinós, Ramón y Cajal, la Caixa Junior Leader, etc) as well as national and international competitive funding, including an ERC Starting Grant 2022 for her project (PhotoSwim).
Her research interests include photocatalysis, nanomaterials, renewable energy, micro/nanomotors, and environmental remediation.
Qian Wang is currently an Associate Professor at Nagoya University, Japan. She obtained her Ph.D. in 2014 at the University of Tokyo, Japan. She then worked as a postdoctoral researcher for the Japan Technological Research Association of Artificial Photosynthetic Chemical Processes (ARPChem) project at the University of Tokyo. In 2018, she became a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge. She joined Nagoya University as an Associate Professor in May 2021 and established her research group, which is currently developing new materials, approaches, and technologies for solar energy storage in the form of renewable fuels via artificial photosynthesis.