“Using Electrochemistry to Understand and Control Thermochemical Catalysis”
Yogesh Surendranath
Abstract
Frontier challenges in sustainability require precision control of catalysis occurring at solid-liquid interfaces. Unlike for gas-solid interfaces, at all solid–liquid interfaces, the exchange of ions and/or electrons with the solution can lead to electrostatic charging or polarization of the interface. However, the role of these charge transfer reactions and interfacial polarization is poorly understood in the context of thermochemical catalysis. We have developed general methods for tracking and controlling the degree of interfacial polarization during catalytic turnover and have used this approach to understand and tune thermochemical oxidation, hydrogenation, and acid catalysis. We have found that many net thermochemical reactions proceed as coupled electrochemical half-reactions and that interfacial polarization can be used to promote catalytic rates by orders of magnitude. These findings expose new opportunities to design and tune thermochemical catalysis by applying the principles of electrochemistry.
Virtual Seminar
Wednesday, 11/6/2024 at 4:30 pm
CAMP 176
https://clarkson.zoom.us/j/93904227713?pwd=Uy8Nb13C1jYYXToHrsUmOpB3BZOsab.1
Yogesh (Yogi) Surendranath is the Donner Professor of Science with appointments in the Departments of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds dual bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and physics from the University of Virginia and a PhD in inorganic chemistry from MIT, obtained under the direction of Professor Daniel Nocera. After receiving his PhD, Professor Surendranath undertook postdoctoral studies as a Miller Research Fellow at UC Berkeley, under the direction of Professor Paul Alivisatos. In 2013, he launched his independent research program at MIT. The Surendranath group aims to address frontier challenges in energy conversion and sustainability by controlling interfacial charge transfer reactivity at the molecular level.