Monday, 1 October 2018: 08:10
Universal 8 (Expo Center)
Electrochemistry and electrocatalysis play prominent roles in the science and technology of renewable electrical energy storage and conversion. Storage and conversion is put into effect via molecular bond making and breaking, catalyzed at electrified interfaces of an ion conductor and an electrocatalyst inside electrochemical reactors, such as Fuel Cells or Electrolyzers. For these reactions to occur with the smallest possible energy losses and the utmost atom efficiency, nanostructured multi-component electrode materials have proven indispensable, because they offer substantial advantages in atomic dispersion, often resulting in energy efficiency and performance benefits. What is more, electrocatalyst always undergo initial transient structural reorganization before their reactivity can fully unfold.
The successful development of novel nanostructured electrocatalyst materials requires molecular insights into their initial structural evolution (activation behaviour, active site/phase formation) as well as the relation between their atomic-scale structure and their catalytic performance. Unravelling these insights and relations is thus a scientific priority.
In this talk, I will highlight some of our recent work on the design and analysis of nanostructured electrocatalytic materials and their catalytically active liquid-solid interfaces. Examples will include new designs of and insights in noble and non-noble water splitting catalysts, oxygen reduction catalysts as well as CO2 reduction catalysts.