
Dr Pau Farràs, University of Galway
FlowPhotoChem Coordinator Dr Pau Farràs based at the University of Galway in Ireland took some time to respond to questions about his research interests, the photoelectrochemistry field and the role his group ChemLight (https://www.universityofgalway.ie/chemlight/) plays within the FlowPhotoChem project.
- How and when did you first become interested in photoelectrochemistry?
I have been interested in renewable energy since I finished my undergraduate studies. I did my Erasmus project at DTU (Denmark) on hydrogen storage materials and since then, hydrogen has been on my radar. Then, I learnt about solar energy conversion technologies such as photoelectrochemistry, and during my postdoctoral time at ICIQ, I developed one of the first photoelectrochemical cells for the simultaneous selective organic oxidation and hydrogen production. I have always been fascinated by the use of solar energy.
- What aspects of the field interest you most right now?
The most interesting at the moment is the design of new materials that can interface between light harvesting and catalysis while being selective and stable. I believe that the stability and scalability of devices are critical for a practical application, but only through a thoughtful design of materials, it is possible to learn and improve the current systems.
- What do you see as the biggest challenge to the photoelectrochemistry field?
The biggest challenge would be the scalability and achieving competitiveness against the renewable energy plus electrolyser route. I think it is key to identify niche markets where smaller scale devices make sense, as well as finding applications that could benefit individuals or small communities living in remote or off-grid settings.
- Please describe your group and facilities at the University of Galway.
ChemLight group at the University of Galway
The ChemLight group is quite multidisciplinary and international. There are 5 postdoctoral researchers, 9 PhD students and 2 research assistants working in four main areas: the study of nanoparticles as electrocatalysts for water splitting, preparation of photoactive porous materials for photocatalytic CO2 conversion, design of microbial electrosynthesis cells for CO2 valorisation, and preparation of biomaterials for breast cancer therapies.
The group has 4 research labs across two buildings on the campus, and two of them are fully equipped for the synthesis of molecules and materials required for the research. The other labs are equipped with the necessary instruments to test the materials in electrocatalytic, photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic reactors with the necessary analytical tools for characterisation.
- Your work seems quite varied: supervising PhD students, grant writing, project administration and meetings, lab work and travel, etc. Which aspect/s do you enjoy most?
Yes, very varied! Don’t forget teaching and teaching administration too… The aspect I enjoyed the most is to link different ideas into novel approaches to research problems. However, I always try to find practical uses and I am very interested in deploying demo projects so that research and society, in general, can be exposed to the state-of-the-art research done in the group and in the different collaborative projects we work on.
- For how long have you been at the University of Galway? What is the best thing about working there?
I started my career in Galway in September 2015 and this position has given me the flexibility to pursue my varied research interests without any hard roadblocks.
- Tell us about your group's role in FlowPhotoChem. Are there any unforeseen obstacles to this work on the project? If so, how they are being addressed?
Our group is leading/coordinating the FlowPhotoChem project and it is an incredible experience that has allowed us to explore new avenues of research as well as to collaborate with leading research groups. In the technical domain, our role is to develop new oxygen evolving reaction (OER) electrocatalysts with high activity and stability under both acidic and alkaline conditions, to replace the benchmark precious metals. The collaboration with FlowPhotoChem partners has allowed us to focus on the preparation of materials and the testing in photoelectrochemical and electrochemical reactors is done in our partner’s facilities.
- What do you find most exciting about the FlowPhotoChem project?
The FlowPhotoChem project covers all types of reactors and their integration to produce a range of fuels and chemicals. The cross-pollination of ideas between the different groups is fascinating and allows all partners to go beyond the state of the art.
- How do you like to spend your free time, if you have any?
I like to spend my free time with the family at home or travelling. The experience I had as a kid visiting many places is invaluable to me, and I am happy that I can do the same with my son. If I had more time, I would love to continue playing the piano, my best secret ingredient to disconnect from the world.