Research projects in Senger Group
The hydrogen catalysis project addresses open questions of green hydrogen catalysis in [FeFe]-hydrogenses. While the industrial hydrogen production process is very energy demanding, emits carbon dioxide and is fossil fuel dependent, [FeFe]-hydrogenases catalyse hydrogen evolution in the simplest way (2e- + 2H+ -> H2) and without carbon chemistry involved.
We aim to follow the events of hydrogen uptake and evolution in [FeFe]-hydrogenases on a molecular level and in real time to reveal fundamental chemical principles that can be used for green and sustainable hydrogen catalyst design.
To achieve this, we develop suitable trigger concepts based on rapid mixing for hydrogen uptake and artificial photoactivation for hydrogen production direction. These we apply to a combination of spectroscopic and structure determination methods yielding both functional and structural information of otherwise not accessible transient reaction intermediates.
![Simplified catalytic cycle for hydrogen formation and uptake by [FeFe] hydrogenases. In the ground state, a zoom-in is shown on the active seat of the hydrogenase. From there, there are two reaction pathways, hydrogen uptake and photoactivated hydrogen formation, both of which lead to an unknown transient intermediate symbolised by a question mark.](/images/200.1407e4018ecb8d531529651/1713354547712/Senger_katalytisk_cykel_1157px.jpg)