DEMO (Discovery of efficient Enzyme-like Metal Organic frameworks to activate biomethane at low temperatures) will be an interdisciplinary doctoral network that will train thirteen PhD candidates exchanging over six research institutions across Europe, including Universities (Oslo, Norway; Basque Country, Spain; Torino, Italy), Institutes (NIC, Slovenia; CNRS, France), and Industry (Johnson Matthey, UK). The DEMO project has been funded with 3.5 M€ by the EU MSCA DN program and it will start in the fall of 2023.
The main goal of the DEMO project is the development of new catalytic systems for the selective oxidation of methane to methanol. The research strategy of the project is based on combining the properties of known enzymes catalyzing the oxidation of light alkanes with the properties of MOFs, which, as nanoporous materials, can be used to capture and activate methane. Two distinct approaches will be used: 1) Encapsulation of enzymes into MOFs, and 2) Molecular engineering of MOF pores including both catalyst and co-catalyst moieties.
The use of machine learning will be an important component of the DEMO project at different levels, including materials design, high-throughput experimentation data, and X-Ray spectroscopies. These research activities will be led by David Balcells, who will be the main supervisor of one PhD at the Hylleraas Centre and the co-supervisor of two PhDs shared with the CNRS and the University of Torino.