The group is composed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers with expertise in the fields of Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Heterogeneous Catalysis and Nanotechnology. The work is focused on the development of five major topics:
1. Design of Functional MOFs Materials:
- Design, characterization and proprieties studies of novel multifunctional Metal-Organic Frameworks with potential for application in gas adsorption (separation and capture), heterogeneous catalysis and/or luminescent materials. Exploration of sustainable methods (ionothermal synthesis and microwave assisted synthesis);
- Investigation of porous metal-organic frameworks as support materials for catalytic active species;
- Preparation and characterization of polynuclear 3d and/or 4f metal complexes as potential functional molecular magnetic materials
- Application of X-ray diffraction techniques (both single-crystal and powder) to unveil and confirm the structure of distinct compounds/materials and unequivocally establish structure/proprieties relationships.
2. Oxometallic based composites:
- Synthesis and characterization of polyoxometalates and coordination metallic compounds. Preparation of robust and active catalysts based in various porous materials (MCM-41, SBA-15, PMOs and MOFs). Novel strategies of support materials functionalization to immobilize efficiently active metallic centers.
3. Sustainable Catalytic Processes:
- Design of more environmentally friendly, sustainable and safer chemical processes. Application of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts for environmental friendly oxidation reactions involving organic compounds with important pharmacological, environmental and industrial applications.
4. Preparation of non-pollutant transportation fuels:
- Development of efficient and sustainable desulfurization technology for liquid fuels.
- Design of novel catalytically processes based on active polyoxometalate based composites for simultaneous desulfurization and denitrification of real fuels. Straight collaboration with Galp Energia has been crucial to achieve the best results conciliating fuels quality and cost-efficiency.
5. Lanthanide-based luminescent materials:
- Preparation of photoluminescent materials based on lanthanide emitting centers.
- Development of stable and robust composite materials using porous supports as hosts for lanthanide complexes. – Enhancement of the optical properties via efficient sensitization processes.
Achievements
- Advances in the preparation of novel photoluminescent nanomaterials based on lanthanide polyoxometalates for bioimaging applications.
- Design of robust heterogeneous catalysts based on metal-organic frameworks for the oxidation of alcohols and olefins.
- Development of efficient catalytic systems for the oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of model diesel under eco-sustainable conditions.
- Successful application of the ODS systems in the desulfurization of real untreated diesel samples in collaboration with Galp Energia