EcoMat Webinar Series 2022| Efficient electrocatalysts for sustainable energy

About the EcoMat Webinar Series

Hear from influential and established as well as top, young researchers in eco-materials from around the world in this dedicated series of webinars. All recorded for your convenience so you can watch at a time that suits you( click to visit). EcoMat is a new open access journal focusing on cutting-edge advanced materials for green energy and environmental.

Feel free to visit EcoMat homepage to get more information.

Session in May 18, 2022

Efficient electrocatalysts for sustainable energy 

Time: 

May 18, 9:00AM-11:00AM (China Standard Time)  / 

May 18, 11:00AM-1:00PM (Adelaide Time) / 

May 17, 9:00PM-11:00PM (New York Time)  

SPEAKERS & ABSTRACTS

1. Prof. Shizhang Qiao, University of Adelaide

Nanomaterial Design and Innovation for Electrocatalytic Refinery

Compared to modern fossil fuel-based industrial refineries, the emerging electrocatalytic refinery (e-refinery) is a more sustainable and environmentally benign strategy to convert renewable feedstocks and energy sources to transportable fuels and value-added chemicals. E-refinery promisingly leads to defossilization, decarbonization, and decentralization of chemical industry. Specifically, powered by renewable electricity (e.g., solar, wind and hydro power), oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) can efficiently split water into green hydrogen, CO2 reduction reaction (CRR) can convert CO2 emissions to transportable fuels and commodity chemicals, and N2 reduction reaction (NRR) can potentially manufacture fertilizers at ambient conditions.

A crucial step in realizing this prospect is the knowledge-guided design of appropriate reactions and optimal electrocatalysts with high activity and selectivity for anticipated reaction pathways, which dominantly involve cleavage and formation of chemical bonds between H, O, C, and N. In this presentation, I will talk about our recent progress in mechanism understanding and material innovation for a series of crucial electrocatalytic reactions (OER, HER, CRR, NRR, etc.), which are achieved by combining atomic-level material engineering, electrochemical evaluation, theoretical computations, and advanced in situ characterizations. A special emphasis is placed on the rational exploration of novel two-dimensional materials and single-atom catalysts. I will also demonstrate the framework and methodologies of e-refinery with greater complexity by electrocatalytic coupling in situ generated intermediates (integrated reactions) or products (tandem reactions). It will inspire and accelerate further investigations of e-refinery to complement or displace some important industrial processes, and ultimately make the energy and chemical sectors sustainable.

2. Prof. Gang Wu, The State University of New York (SUNY-Buffalo)

Advanced Catalyst Technologies for Clean Hydrogen Technologies

Clean and efficient energy storage and conversion via sustainable water reactions have attracted substantial attention to address the energy and environmental issues due to the overwhelming use of fossil fuels. These electrochemical reactions are crucial for desirable clean energy technologies, including advanced water electrolyzers and hydrogen fuel cells. Their sluggish reaction kinetics lead to inefficient energy conversion. Innovative electrocatalysis, i.e., catalysis at the interface between the electrode and electrolyte to facilitate charge transfer and mass transport, plays a vital role in boosting energy conversion efficiency and providing sufficient performance and durability for these energy technologies.

In this talk, I highlight recent progress and achievements in developing low-cost and high-performance catalysts at the University at Buffalo-SUNY for these critical electrocatalysis processes, including the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for hydrogen proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) for alkaline anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzers.

MODERATOR

Prof. Dawei Wang, UNSW Sydney

Associate Professor Da-Wei Wang is currently an ARC Future Fellow and a UNSW Scientia Fellow in the School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW Sydney. His research interest spreads from the fundamentals of the chemistry and interface mechanisms of two-dimensional energy materials, to the development of advanced electrochemical energy devices, including supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries, and electrolysers. As a Chief Investigator, Da-Wei has attracted numerous competitive external grants. He has contributed 2 book chapters, >100 journal publications, 8 patents and over 20 keynote/invited presentations, which received >20,000 citations with an H-index of 53 (Google Scholar). Da-Wei has won some prestigious awards including the 2020 Young Scientist Award (under 40) by the The International Coalition for Energy Storage and Innovation, the 2018-2019 Highly Cited Researcher Award by Web of Science, Clarivate Analytics, the Finalist of 2018 AMP Tomorrow Maker, and the 2013 Scopus Young Researcher Award in Engineering and Technology by Elsevier & Australasia Research Management Society. He was an invited guest speaker at ABC on Future Battery.

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