Advanced electrocatalysts for sustainable energy technologies
| Dates: | 12 October 2022 |
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| Times: | 12:00 - 13:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Photon Science Institute |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, Current University students |
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| Speaker: | Dr. Laurie King |
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Join us for this PSI seminar with guest speaker Dr. Laurie King. The annual production of hydrogen is over 70 million tons, with > 96% generated from fossil fuels (mostly by steam methane reformation of natural gas) releasing large quantities of CO2 as a by-product. Electrochemical and photoelectrochemical water splitting technologies offer an important alternate platform to produce clean and sustainable hydrogen from surplus renewable energy. Central to these technologies is the development of cost-effective materials with appropriate properties for driving the underlying electrochemical reactions.
In this talk, we examine current state-of-the-art electrocatalysts employed for the electrochemical water splitting reactions (the hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution reactions). We will also explore the limitation of these precious-metal based catalysts and present our recent work towards lower-content and precious-metal free electrocatalysts. For the hydrogen evolution reaction, we focus on our recent investigations regarding the first translation of a non-precious metal catalysts into a commercial scale polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyser. For the oxygen evolution reaction, we explore strategies to develop lower-precious metal content catalysts – either by utilising cost effective supports or synthesising compounds and alloys of precious metals. We utilise highly engineered catalyst supports and prepare compounds and alloys containing transition metals with iridium and ruthenium structures. Throughout our work we apply extensive materials characterisations towards understanding the role of catalyst structure, morphology and composition on electrocatalyst performance and stability.
Speaker
Dr. Laurie King
Organisation: Manchester Metropolitan University
Biography: Dr Laurie King is a Materials Chemist developing economic and sustainable materials for energy technologies. Dr King’s research group focuses on the design and testing of catalysts and catalyst supports utilising and developing methodologies for advanced materials synthesis, electrochemical analysis, and materials characterisation. The ultimate emphasis is on uncovering a feedback loop for future catalyst design through the identification of structure-property-performance relationships. Current projects are focused on green hydrogen generation through water splitting, sustainable synthesis of critical chemicals via carbon dioxide reduction and hydrogen peroxide generation, and ammonia synthesis.
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