Electrocatalysis on Structure Controlled Metal Nanocrystals: Unraveling Particle Structure-Catalytic Activity Relationships

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With this award from the Chemical Catalysis Program in the Chemistry Division, Professor Shouzhong Zou of Miami University will carry out studies of the relationships between nanocrystal structure and catalytic activity. Dr. Zou and his students will study electrocatalytic activity of shape, size and composition controlled platinum and platinum-based alloy nanocrystals towards reactions of importance in low temperature fuel cells, using a combination of conventional electrochemical methods, surface vibration spectroscopy, and single particle electrochemistry. Fundamental insights of catalyst structure-activity relationships gained from these studies will aid in rational design and development of highly active and durable fuel cell catalysts, and breaking the bottlenecks in the development and deployment of low temperature fuel cells. One of the key technical challenges in fuel cell development and commercialization is to find low-cost, highly-efficient catalysts having a long lifetime. By identifying the structural factors dictating the catalytic activity of nanoscale catalysts toward fuel cell reactions, the proposed research directly addresses this pressing issue and will make significant advances in energy conversion in fuel cells. The concepts developed in this research will be applicable to other important structure sensitive reactions as well. In addition this research program will train postdoctoral researchers, graduate students and undergraduate students in electrocatalysis and fuel cells, and will also provide outreach to high schools through a teacher-researcher program.