Sustainable and renewable energy and fuels will be required to meet future U.S. energy demands while minimizing carbon emissions. Electrochemical technology ? aided by catalysis ? offers a carbon-free route to generating hydrogen from water and electricity using clean, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy. The hydrogen can be used either directly for power generation (for example via energy-efficient fuel cell technology) or as a feedstock for chemicals or synthetic (i.e. non-fossil) fuels. Realizing the goal of a hydrogen-based fuel/chemical economy, however, will require more efficient, more stable, and lower-cost electrocatalysts than currently available. To that end, the project will investigate novel electrocatalyst materials and structures using experimental/theoretical synthesis, design, and characterization methods to facilitate development of highly active and stable nanostructured electrocatalysts with low precious metal content. The project will integrate the research with educational and outreach activities to increase student awareness of our Nation?s needs for scientists and engineers to address energy and environmental challenges.
The project will explore bimetallic oxyhydroxide surface compositions and structures that are active and stable for the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by combining a metal that is highly stable in acid under oxidative potentials and a metal that is catalytically active for oxygen evolution but unstable. The project objectives are to (i) investigate the effects of surface structure and composition on the OER reaction mechanism and activity, and on the dissolution reaction; (ii) determine the effects of applied potential and aqueous acid environment on the active site for OER and the dissolution process; and (iii) investigate alternative active transition metal/supporting metal pairs for enhanced electrocatalyst OER activity and stability. The collaborative project will investigate structure-activity-stability relationships of bimetallic oxyhydroxide surfaces using an integrated experimental and theoretical approach to determine how an evolving surface structure affects activity and stability. The integrated computational-experimental effort will provide additional insight regarding the nature of the active site for both the OER and dissolution reactions. In addition, effects of the electrolyte on the coupled electron-proton transfer steps of the reaction will be investigated. The effort will develop synthesis-structure-activity-stability correlations that can lead to improved OER electrocatalysts as well as catalysts for other electrocatalytic and catalytic reactions. The project involves an integrated educational activity to develop video-based modules for secondary school students to increase students? interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and aims to broaden participation of underrepresented groups by recruiting from the diverse talent pool of students from Texas State University, classified as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and Texas A&M University.
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.
