New bio-inspired bimetallic Ni-Fe complexes for hydrogen production

Currently, most industrial H₂ is derived from natural gas and oil, emitting significant CO₂. “Green H₂” represents only 1% of production and is mainly produced via water splitting using scarce and expensive noble metal catalysts like Pt, which have a high carbon footprint. In this context, the bio-inspired approach is attractive for turning to abundant, cheap, and no-toxic 3d metal-based catalysis. In nature, Hydrogenase produce H2 via proton reduction at NiFe or FeFe active sites. The synergistic effects between their two metallic sites have been demonstrated to rationalize their remarkable activity. While this approach has shown success, numerous challenges persist, including issues related to performance, robustness, and the reliance on currently unsustainable experimental conditions. 
This PhD proposal focuses on the synthesis of bioinspired bimetallic NiFe complexes and the investigation of their hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance under homogeneous conditions. Specifically, the PhD student will aim to elucidate the catalytic mechanism by identifying key intermediates through a combination of complementary experimental techniques and theoretical modeling.

Keywords: Bio-inspiration, coordination chemistry, electrochemistry, green hydrogen.

• Academic supervisor    Dr. Noémie LALAOUI, DCM, UGA, noemie.lalaoui@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr ORCID : 0000-0002-1313-2876
• Doctoral School    EDCSV, Université Grenoble Alpes
• IFPEN supervisor    Dr. Juan Manuel ASENSIO REVERT, ORCID : 0000-0002-9996-6213
• PhD location    IFPEN, Lyon, France and UGA, Grenoble, France
• Duration and start date    3 years, starting in the fourth quarter 2025 
• Employer    IFPEN
• Academic requirements    University Master degree in Inorganic Chemistry, Catalysis or equivalent.
• Language requirements    English level B2 (CEFR), willingness to learn French
• Other requirements    Basic knowledge on organic and coordination chemistry and electrochemistry 

To apply, please send your cover letter and CV to the IFPEN supervisor indicated here below.