Transfer Hydrogenation: A Paradigm for Reversible Electrocatalysts

利用化学催化项目的这一奖项，斯坦福大学的罗伯特·M·韦茅斯教授将开发用于醇的电脱氢的电催化剂。研究的具体挑战是在低过电位下醇的电氧化以最大限度地提高阳极电氧化催化剂的能量效率。指导这一计划的一个中心假设是，对酮与醇的可逆转移氢化反应具有活性的过渡金属催化剂是有希望的醇电脱氢催化剂。催化可逆转移加氢反应的催化剂在醇的氧化反应中具有可逆的潜能，开发新型的可逆电氧化催化剂是一个巨大的挑战。化学转移氢化催化的机理概念将被用来指导研究，并设计新的策略来促进质子和电子转移，而质子和电子转移是高效电氧化催化的关键。将化学燃料高能效地转化为有用的能源形式对我们的能源未来至关重要。这项工作将为从化学燃料中提取电子的策略以及燃料电池阳极电催化剂将化学能转化为电能的基础科学提供新的见解。这项研究的发现将阐明调解将化学能转化为有用形式的电能的关键原则。这些新的见解不仅将有助于寻求更高效的燃料电池催化剂，而且对于所有调解电能和化学能相互转换的技术来说都是核心。此外，国际和平研究所将为培养在这一经济相关领域拥有专业知识的新一代科学家做出贡献。

With this award from the Chemical Catalysis Program, Professor Robert M. Waymouth of Stanford University will develop electrocatalysts for electrodehydrogenation of alcohols. Specific challenges for investigation are electrooxidation of alcohols at low overpotentials to maximize the energy efficiency of anode electrooxidation catalysts. A central hypothesis guiding this program is that transition metal catalysts active for the reversible transfer hydrogenation of ketones with alcohols constitute promising candidates for alcohol electrodehydrogenation catalysts. Catalysts which mediate reversible transfer hydrogenation reactions operate at the reversible potential for alcohol oxidation; a grand challenge is to exploit this promising reactivity to develop new electrocatalysts for reversible electrooxidation. Mechanistic concepts that have been developed for chemical transfer hydrogenation catalysis will be used to guide the research and to devise new strategies to facilitate the proton and electron transfers that are critical to energy-efficient electrooxidation catalysis. The energy-efficient conversion of chemical fuels into useful forms of energy is critical to our energy future. This work will provide new insights on strategies for extracting electrons from chemical fuels and the fundamental science that underlies anode electrocatalysts for fuel cells that convert chemical energy into electricity. Discoveries from this research will illuminate key principles in mediating the energy efficient conversion of chemical energy into useful forms of electrical energy. These new insights will not only inform the quest for more efficient fuel cell catalysts, but are central to all technologies that mediate the interconversion of electrical energy and chemical energy. In addition, the PI will contribute to develop a new generation of scientists with expertise in this economically relevant field.