The overall aim is the development of new hybrid organic-inorganic materials for heterogeneous- and photocatalysis. The functionality of the compounds is tailored by combining the properties of the organic and inorganic constituents with the large surface area of the resulting porous or nanocrystalline materials.

Organic-inorganic hybrids are sophisticated materials composed of organic as well as inorganic structural motifs, and they uniquely adopt properties of both components. Hybrids count several classes of compounds including: a) 3D metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in which metal centers are connected via organic linkers, and b) 2D inorganic layers with metal-organic complexes sandwiched in-between.

My current research focuses on the development of:

1. Semiconducting 2D materials functionalized by metal-organic complexes or organic dyes for controlled light absorption and -emission and for photocatalysis.
2. Porous 3D MOFs functionalized with (i) transition metal complexes for heterogeneous catalysis or (ii) conducting graphene derivatives for electrocatalysis.
3. Metal oxide nanoparticles combined with carbon-based materials for visible light photocatalysis.

The ultimate goal of the research is the activation of small molecules such as water (for hydrogen production) and CO₂ by different catalytic approaches. I am affiliated with the Danish National Research Center CADIAC, which focuses on CO₂ activation through an interdisciplinary effort.