News

Critical catalyst materials research receives funding from Horizon 2020

The research aims to provide alternatives to critical metals used in certain chemical reactions and energy conversions.

Critical metals refer to especially rare platinum group metals (PGMs). Research at Aalto University is conducted by professors Adam Foster at the School of Science and Kari Laasonen at the School of Chemical Technology.

Ultra-small transition metal nanoparticles are explored in order to achieve optimal catalytic performance with earth-abundant materials. The emphasis is on industrially-relevant chemical reactions and emerging energy conversion technologies in which PGMs play an instrumental role, particularly in the context of hydrogen and synthesis gas fuels.

‘Nearly all chemical industrial processes in the EU rely heavily on a reliable supply of key metals for efficient production, yet many of these are now considered critical. This is because there is no primary production within the EU and the major sources are in areas of extreme geopolitical uncertainty´, says Professor Adam Foster.

´Furthermore, the most obvious replacements from our current understanding are often other critical metals. The CritCat project seeks to find new materials that are just as effective as existing metals, without any of the supply problems’.

Aalto University takes a double role in this project, with Prof. Kari Laasonen focusing on understanding the chemical reactions of these new materials, while Prof. Adam Foster looks into optimising their structure and function using a combination of quantum approaches and machine learning.

The multinational project involves cooperation with industrial partners as well as research groups in USA and Japan. Tampere University of Technology acts as a coordinator.

The half a million funding comes from Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation of the European Commission.

  • Published:
  • Updated:
Share
URL copied!

Read more news

A dog and two researchers. Photo: Aalto University/Mikko Raskinen
Research & Art Published:

Significant Academy of Finland funding for for the multidisciplinary consortium project PAWWS – People and Animal Wellbeing at Work and in Society

Astrid Huopalainen, Assistant Professor at Aalto University, Linda Tallberg, Assistant Professor at Hanken School of Economics, and Anna Hielm-Björkman, Docent at University of Helsinki, are principal investigators of the project
A teacher and two researchers smiling and sorting through paper presentations in a classroom
Research & Art Published:

Empathy in design and digitalisation – Aalto University researchers hold workshops for students at Arabia Comprehensive School

Aalto University researchers organised workshops for seventh graders, whose creative thinking skills were put to the test in designing future information services
Maja Jantar's rehearsal at Tartu Planetarium
Research & Art Published:

The Creative Europe project ‘Urban Travel Machines’ at Tartu international literary festival in Estonia

Eleven Aalto Arts students and VCD Lecturer Tarja Nieminen participated in the Tartu international literary festival Prima Vista from 9th to 13th May 2023.
Kimmo Karhu is a post-doctoral researcher at Aalto University.
Research & Art Published:

The BalticSeaH2 project starts building a hydrogen valley around the Baltic Sea

Aalto University will focus on studying the use of data-mediated network effects to boost the growth in the hydrogen valley.