CHBE Seminar by Ahmad M. Harzandi: Electrocatalysis for Energy Intensive Applications

Abstract: An electrocatalyst participates in electrochemical reactions to lower the required activation energy. Considering that electrochemical reactions occur by the transfer of electrons from one chemical species to another; manipulation of the composition and chemical structure of the electrode surface increases the probability of the occurrence of desired electrochemical transformations and, as a result, reduces the required potential. A detailed understanding of the reaction mechanism and the study of the structural changes of the catalyst during the reaction are necessary to design and develop effective catalysts for the catalytic reaction. Here, I will present several applications of electrocatalysts with a focus on the strategies for the design and improving the performance of the catalyst. I will also discuss how different material characterization tools combined with computational models improve our understanding of the reaction and catalyst performance. First, by introducing some electrocatalytic reactions, I will show how manipulation of their corresponding catalyst’s design and composition could improve their performance in terms of activity and selectivity. Second, I will introduce several energy conversion and storage systems that require a new look and a deep understanding of their reaction mechanism to design suitable electrocatalyst for developing their application in the important, energy-relevant reactions. Finally, I will discuss the opportunities for expanding the catalyst field for different demanding applications.

Biography: Ahmad M. Harzandi completed a M.Sc. in Chemistry at Sharif University, Iran. For his doctoral work in electrocatalysis at the Ulsan National Institute of Technology, Harzandi studied the design and development of electrocatalyst for hydrogen generation. Following his Ph.D., he spent two years as a postdoc and worked on the development of Seawater batteries and the expansion of their diverse application. His current work as a senior research associate focuses on catalyst design and understanding the mechanism of electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction at Illinois Institute of Technology.