Summary
A final overview
• What is the problem/issue being addressed?
• Why is it important for society?
• What are the overall objectives?
Catalyzing the transformation to a more sustainable and innovative society requires the development of technologies in chemical and energy transformation/utilization areas that use directly renewable energy to replace fossil fuels. It is necessary to develop novel technologies for producing chemicals, fuels, and chemical energy storage vectors that overcome the current limitations in renewable energy production to realize this vision.
The SCOPE proposal aims to develop the scientific basis for a groundbreaking approach (based on catalysis-plasma symbiosis) to direct chemical syntheses using renewable energy to produce large volumes of key chemicals or energy vectors. Although the project's core is plasma-catalysis, the project is extended to a comparative analysis of photo- and electrocatalysis to better understand how to design effective "reactive" catalysts, e.g., the catalysis trio (electro, photo, and plasma catalysis), which uses renewable energy rather than thermal energy (from fossil fuels). This catalysis trio shares several technological and fundamental aspects, including the possibility of integrating photo- and electrocatalysis into plasma processes, another project objective. Thus, we aim to put the scientific basis for this new catalytic chemistry at the core of the energy and chemistry transition.
We have three target reactions: (i) N2 fixation, a key reaction for the production of ammonia (NH3) and NOx-made fertilizers; (ii) CH4 valorization to produce longer C-chain hydrocarbons; (iii) CO2 splitting to CO for further conversion to liquid solar fuels.
Work performed: an overview of the results and their exploitation and dissemination
The SCOPE project started in April 2019, and after an amendment, the end was shifted to March 2026. The situation returned to normal after delays caused by the pandemic and its impact on recruitment, mobility, and meetings. The general project organization is the following:
- UniME (cPI) has developed novel catalysts/electrodes, as well as comparative testing with photo- and electrocatalytic conversion, besides the development of novel reactor concepts for plasma-catalysis.
- UANT (PI1) developed physicochemical models of plasma-catalysis systems and did experiments on different modalities of plasma generation and interaction with the catalyst
- UNIWAR (PI2, I3), and associated TUe and UoA, developed several new advances: a pyramid-confined electrically-intensified microplasma, a two-jet reactor concept, plasma-enzyme catalysis, plasma bubble reactor fundamental modelling and explored it for two applications (air N-fixation, urine recovery), as well as assessed the sustainability of diverse plasma processes (TEA, LCA, Circularity, ESG).
The project is organized into six work packages (WPs), all of which were successfully concluded. These WPs were related to: WP1 (Identify the mechanisms of controlling the selectivity), WP2 (Surface-confined plasma ), WP3 (Fast-modulated operations in the presence of plasma), WP4 (Advanced processes for direct conversion of target small molecules), WP5 (Intensified process-sustainability opportunities), and WP6 (Coordination and Dissemination).
The scientific work performed aligns with the planned activities. Within the project, several publications (many also co-authored by two or more PIs) and over 270 dissemination activities were carried out, including a joint book, various journal issues, conferences, and other relevant activities.
Only online meetings were held during the pandemic, but later, a series of physical meetings between PIs and related teams was organized and will also continue after the project. As part of the dissemination, various international conferences and workshops were organized during SCOPE activities. Mobility of the PhD students and researchers' exchange was also implemented.
An important action concerns the realization of a joint international Doctorate (ACCESS - Advanced Catalytic Processes for using Renewable Energy Sources), stemming directly from the ERC Synergy SCOPE. The Doctorate has been later transformed into an Industrial Doctorate. Various PhD students spent mobility periods in other PIs' labs. Also, various PhD students worked in co-tutelle between PIs. Three ERC PoCs projects resulted from the SCOPE project, in addition to spinoff and several projects (international, national), creating a lasting impact.
Progress beyond the state of the art and expected results until the end of the project
The SCOPE project ended in March 2026. It can be considered a success story, not only in terms of research results and other lasting activities, but especially in its ability to open new research directions and to transfer ideas into innovation. The scientific impact can be demonstrated by the many publications supported by the project (over 200) and the numerous high-impact dissemination activities, as evidenced by the high number of plenary/keynote/invited lectures (over 270, for conciseness, oral and poster presentations were not listed).
Thanks to the SCOPE project, the area of plasma-catalysis and beyond (e.g., using renewable energy sources to drive chemical conversion of small molecules) is now a consolidated frontier area, with the project pushing research in extending to novel directions and applications, new ways to mechanistic understanding (including radically new approaches), and innovations. Remarkably, a significant number of Proof of Concept (PoC) projects and spinoff companies stemming from the project, as well as many national/international projects originating from ideas and research concepts generated during the project. A new ERC Syg project is under evaluation. Additionally, the four PIs received numerous awards for SCOPE project activities and for lecturing at many conferences. A book co-edited by the four PIs on plasma processes for N2 fixation, various special issues of journals, and conferences organized by the four PIs in the frame of SCOPE activities are further lasting activities connected to the project. Last but not least, a large number of researchers and young scientists were trained activities during the SCOPE project.
While it is impossible to detail the large body of activities related to the project, the following elements support the above indications. SCOPE research has been incorporated into a 90-minute documentary film about lightning by the French director François Tribolet. His documentary on lightning was premiering on April 23rd, 2026. Bolts from the Blue - https://distribution.studiotf1.com/lists/r18922/