News

Electrocatalysis and Photoelectrochemistry at the Nanoscale:

Although heterogeneous catalysts play an important role in our chemical industry, most industrial catalysts operate under conditions that rely on extreme heat and/or pressure to perform their functions. We seek to create catalysts that can harness renewable sources of energy to drive chemical reactions near ambient conditions to achieve sustainable processes. We synthesize electrocatalysts capable of using electricity generated from renewable sources such as wind or solar, as well as photocatalysts capable of directly harvesting sunlight for driving chemical transformations. The efficient use of these two distinct sources of energy (electricity vs. sunlight) requires different materials that can harness these energy inputs to catalyze chemical reactions. We are currently focused on the reduction of carbon dioxide back into hydrocarbons like ethanol and/or ethylene, the reduction of nitrate back into ammonia, and the overall splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen gas.

Nanomaterials Synthesis for Catalysis and Sensing:

We develop methods for the shape-controlled synthesis of catalytic nanostructures, which provides tremendous flexibility for tuning the catalytic properties of our materials by manipulating their shape, size, and chemical composition. We have expertise in the synthesis of a variety of metals and semiconductors for applications in electrocatalysis and photoelectrochemistry. We are continually developing new techniques while also refining our current methods to provide exquisite control over material properties at the nanoscale.

In Situ Spectroscopy of Catalytic Systems:

The development of catalysts capable of controlling reaction selectivity requires detailed knowledge of how the material properties govern the reaction mechanism. As such, we develop spectroscopic platforms that allow us to identify and monitor reaction intermediates on working catalytic systems with in situ vibrational spectroscopy. We also use electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and/or Raman spectroscopy to identify the oxidation states of the active catalyst. When combined with extensive materials characterization, these spectroscopic studies provide valuable insight into how the material properties of the catalyst influences its activity and selectivity for a given reaction of interest. With this knowledge, we hope to eventually create catalytic nanomaterials with electronic structures that are specifically tailored for a particular reaction.