# Exploring functional organic materials for the energy transition

**URL:** <https://community.materialssquare.com/t/exploring-functional-organic-materials-for-the-energy-transition/604>\
**Category:** News\
**Created:** [August 30, 2024, 1:48pm UTC](https://community.materialssquare.com/t/exploring-functional-organic-materials-for-the-energy-transition/604 "2024-08-30T13:48:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![gabriele1](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/community.materialssquare.com/gabriele1/32/20_2.png) [@gabriele1](https://community.materialssquare.com/u/gabriele1)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 1:48pm UTC](https://community.materialssquare.com/t/exploring-functional-organic-materials-for-the-energy-transition/604/1 "2024-08-30T13:48:04Z")

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Researchers at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg are exploring carbon-based nanomaterials, specifically carbon dots, for energy transition applications. These functional organic materials have the potential to convert sunlight into energy and produce hydrogen from water, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional semiconductor and metallic catalysts. The research focuses on understanding the molecular structure of these materials to optimize their photocatalytic properties, with an emphasis on sustainability and scalability. The team is also leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance the design and efficiency of these materials.

For more details, visit the full article here:

> **[Exploring functional organic materials for the energy transition](https://phys.org/news/2024-08-exploring-functional-materials-energy-transition.html)**
>
> Carbon, of all things, could help us to push forward the decarbonization of our industrial society. Functional carbon particles, known as carbon dots, can transform sunlight into energy and extract hydrogen from water. Prof. Dr. Dirk M. Guldi, a...