LAB-NEC: Laser-Based design of Nanoalloys for Enantioselective Catalysis

To date, it is estimated that catalysis contributes to roughly 1/3 of the world's GDP, making it one of the most critical knowledge fields for humankind. Among the multiple benefits this powerful technology brings, the catalysts-driven acceleration of pharmaceuticals manufacture occupies one of the most important places allowing their mass production and global distribution, thus increasing life expectancy and quality of life. However, producing smartly efficient catalysts for the pharmaceutical sector is not simple; as many crucial processes within the human body are asymmetric, most drugs that treat human conditions should also be asymmetric, so the catalysts needed for their creation. In the current project, we propose expanding the chiral catalyst's construction practices through a laser-based revolutionary pathway able to bring a new generation of highly specific chiral nanoalloys that can be reused multiple times thanks to their magnetophoretic motility. The benefits arising from this development will represent a much-needed breakthrough for nanocatalysts' truly tailored design.