CAREER: SusChEM: Tunable Electrocatalysis at Buried Interfaces

Columbia University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

The project will investigate electrochemical catalysis on metal catalysts that are fully- or partially-covered by ultra-thin layers of porous materials. The coated catalysts will be evaluated for their effectiveness in promoting clean energy technologies related to fuel cells and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. The research will be coupled with teaching and outreach efforts emphasizing crowdsourcing tools and problem-based learning principles that actively engage students and citizen scientists in the generation and evaluation of innovative clean energy technologies. The project will focus on well-defined planar electrodes on which ultra-thin overlayers of silicon oxide and titanium oxide will be deposited by a room temperature ultraviolet (UV)- Ozone process that allows for nanometer-level control of the oxide thickness. The thickness and surface chemistry of the oxide films will be tuned to control the selective transport of active species and/or modify the unique catalytic sites at the buried interface. The well-defined oxide-encapsulated electrocatalysts will be investigated for alcohol oxidation and carbon dioxide reduction using a suite of imaging and spectroscopy techniques that will enable i.) deconvolution of transport and kinetic effects, ii.) elucidation of the mechanisms by which ultrathin oxide overlayers influence reaction selectivity, and iii.) the development of design rules that can be applied across a wide range of materials and reactions. Experimental measurements will be closely coordinated with numerical modeling and density functional theory calculations performed by collaborators. A specific focus of this research is to compare the catalytic properties of buried oxide/metal interfaces to those at oxide/metal/electrolyte triple-phase boundary sites. Overall, the proposed research will lay the groundwork for the rational design of stable oxide-encapsulated electrocatalysts capable of highly efficient and selective generation and use of fuels. Beyond the specific research, the project will launch an initiative entitled "Crowdsourcing for Energy Innovation" that will leverage emerging crowdsourcing principles and online tools to i.) accelerate training of today's students to become the inventors and evaluators of tomorrow's energy technology, ii.) increase participation in the Nation's innovation network, and iii.) increase student and public awareness of cutting-edge clean energy technologies. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.