RESEARCH AREA III

Restricted solvation on surfaces, chemical reactivity in nanoconfined water, pressure modulation of reactivity and phase behavior, and cryochemistry are all linked by a single concept: ‘Stressed solvent’. The notion of a stressed solvent implies the tuning of solvent properties and function without changing of the solvent itself. Therefore, in this area, we consider high pressure, low temperature, and strong confinement as key stressors that enable us to rigorously modulate solvation properties without changing the chemical identity of the solvent.

RESOLV tackles the challenge of how to control conformational dynamics and chemical reactivity under stressed solvent conditions, which is of key importance for the development and optimization of chemical processes. Advancing the understanding of solvation under extreme conditions will grant access to new technological applications, ranging from homogeneous and (bio-)catalysis, to the stabilization of bio-products. These studies also strongly impact on other disciplines such as astrochemistry, astrobiology and green chemistry.

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