Laia Francas Forcada

Laia Francas Forcada is a Research Fellow in the Department of Chemistry, specializing in catalytic materials and electrochemical processes. She leads multiple research projects focused on renewable energy storage and conversion, including water oxidation, CO₂ reduction, and hydrogen evolution. Her work emphasizes nanoparticle design and functionalization for applications in artificial photosynthesis and sustainable energy systems.

Education:

• PhD in Chemistry (2011): Dissertation on ruthenium complexes for water oxidation catalysis.

Research Interests:

Her research integrates nanomaterials science with electrochemistry to address global energy challenges. Key areas include developing novel catalysts for oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions, optimizing photoelectrochemical systems using visible light, and advancing CO₂ reduction technologies. She collaborates internationally to explore hybrid materials and their applications in sustainable energy systems.

Grants & Projects:

• Principal Investigator of projects like "Rationally Designing Photoanodes for Water Oxidation" (2022–2026) focusing on visible-light-driven catalysts.
• Co-investigator in initiatives like "SolarComb" (2024–2026) targeting green hydrogen production from seawater.

Lab & Teams:

She leads a multidisciplinary team advancing nanoparticle-based catalysts for energy conversion, collaborating with institutions globally to enhance material performance and sustainability.