Novel Bifunctional Electrocatalysts Based on Heterodimer Nanoparticles

Abstract

This project aims to develop advanced metal-metal oxide bifunctional electrocatalysts for the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). The efforts seeks to obtain a fundamental understanding of ethanol oxidation reaction pathway, as well as how the catalytic activity and selectivity depends on the nanoscale architecture of the bifunctional catalysts. Platinum (Pt) and tin oxide (SnOx) surfaces will be combined to facilitate the C-C bond cleavage and oxidative removal of strongly binding C1 intermediates (CHx and CO), respectively. The bifunctional mechanism of the heterodimer nanoparticle catalysts will be revealed by comparative studies of Pt-SnOx versus Pt, and of the heterodimer nanoparticles with Pt of different shapes, as well as by fundamental studies using in situ, surface-specific sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopic methods. The research plan is to: 1) develop synthetic routes for producing Pt-SnOx heterodimer nanoparticles 2) characterize the nanoparticles, especially Pt-SnOx interfaces 3) systematically probe the electrocatalytic activity of nanoparticles by electrochemical means 4) perform SFG to understand more about the surface chemistry of ethanol reduction

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Jan 12, 2017
Source ID
W911NF1510123

Entities

People

  • Chao Wang

Organizations

  • Army Contracting Command
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • United States Army

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Chemistry

Readers

  • Electrochemical Engineering/ Fuel Cell Technologies
  • Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
  • Nanocomposite Materials Science

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Microelectronics