Ven
12
Giu
Seminari e Convegni
2D Covalent Thin Films for Light-Induced Energy Conversion
On 12 June 2026 at 3:00 pm, Politecnico di Torino will host the seminar “2D Covalent Thin Films for Light-Induced Energy Conversion”, held by Paolo Giusto from the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam, Germany.
Abstract
The interest in metal-free materials has been recently rising, and structures with target properties and chemical features have significantly widened the application spectrum of this class of materials. Among those, carbon nitride materials, a class of 2D polymeric semiconductor with ideal formula C3N4, have recently attracted much attention especially in photocatalysis. However, up to now, their application in several fields was hindered due to the low homogeneity of the coatings available.
Recently, we developed an innovative method to produce carbon nitride thin films with tunable thickness by means of chemical vapor deposition. The as-prepared thin films are highly stable, homogeneous and flat, with a very high refractive index, even in the range of diamond. The high homogeneity and conformal deposition of the carbon nitride thin films prepared enabled their use in innovative batch and microfluidic photoreactors, achieving high selectivity and conversion in shorter time.
The utilization of carbon nitride thin films further enabled the development of in-operando spectroscopic techniques providing fundamental mechanistic insights and highlighting the critical role of surface interactions in key reactions such as water splitting. Furthermore, the surface activity of carbon nitride thin films enabled the development of a system for the directional and selective movement of emulsion Janus droplets. Eventually, the use of thin films in energy conversion is still in its infancy; however, it sets the premises for significant improvements in photo-, photoelectro-catalysis and beyond.
Biography
Paolo Giusto pursued his Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Colloid Chemistry, in Potsdam under the supervision of Prof. Markus Antonietti. After graduating in 2020 and completing a brief postdoctoral experience, he was promoted in 2021 to Group Leader at the same institute, where he currently leads the 2D Covalent Thin Films group.
His research focuses on the synthesis of covalent materials and thin films with tailored chemical, electronic and structural properties for applications in energy storage and conversion. During his career, he has been awarded five independent national and international grants, including MSCA-DN, DFG, EIC and DFG-NSERC projects.
More recently, he was invited as a Visiting Fellow at the Department of Chemical Engineering at UNSW Sydney, joining the group of Prof. Liming Dai, and currently holds a Guest Assistant Professor position at QUT in Brisbane. Alongside the development of his research group, he completed an MBA at ESMT Berlin in 2023 and is currently pursuing the German Habilitation at Humboldt University of Berlin under the supervision of Prof. Hans Börner.
Abstract
The interest in metal-free materials has been recently rising, and structures with target properties and chemical features have significantly widened the application spectrum of this class of materials. Among those, carbon nitride materials, a class of 2D polymeric semiconductor with ideal formula C3N4, have recently attracted much attention especially in photocatalysis. However, up to now, their application in several fields was hindered due to the low homogeneity of the coatings available.
Recently, we developed an innovative method to produce carbon nitride thin films with tunable thickness by means of chemical vapor deposition. The as-prepared thin films are highly stable, homogeneous and flat, with a very high refractive index, even in the range of diamond. The high homogeneity and conformal deposition of the carbon nitride thin films prepared enabled their use in innovative batch and microfluidic photoreactors, achieving high selectivity and conversion in shorter time.
The utilization of carbon nitride thin films further enabled the development of in-operando spectroscopic techniques providing fundamental mechanistic insights and highlighting the critical role of surface interactions in key reactions such as water splitting. Furthermore, the surface activity of carbon nitride thin films enabled the development of a system for the directional and selective movement of emulsion Janus droplets. Eventually, the use of thin films in energy conversion is still in its infancy; however, it sets the premises for significant improvements in photo-, photoelectro-catalysis and beyond.
Biography
Paolo Giusto pursued his Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Colloid Chemistry, in Potsdam under the supervision of Prof. Markus Antonietti. After graduating in 2020 and completing a brief postdoctoral experience, he was promoted in 2021 to Group Leader at the same institute, where he currently leads the 2D Covalent Thin Films group.
His research focuses on the synthesis of covalent materials and thin films with tailored chemical, electronic and structural properties for applications in energy storage and conversion. During his career, he has been awarded five independent national and international grants, including MSCA-DN, DFG, EIC and DFG-NSERC projects.
More recently, he was invited as a Visiting Fellow at the Department of Chemical Engineering at UNSW Sydney, joining the group of Prof. Liming Dai, and currently holds a Guest Assistant Professor position at QUT in Brisbane. Alongside the development of his research group, he completed an MBA at ESMT Berlin in 2023 and is currently pursuing the German Habilitation at Humboldt University of Berlin under the supervision of Prof. Hans Börner.