Electrochemical and photocatalytic studies of functional nanomaterials

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The exploding global population over the last century has resulted in the tremendous growth of various industries that are vital for sustaining its development. This has culminated in serious challenges, including energy shortages, environmental pollution, and climate change. The dire consequences of rapid climate change have recently been stressed in the Synthesis Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The establishment of a hydrogen economy has great potential as one of the most clear and comprehensive strategies for transitioning from the oil era toward a new, clean, and sustainable energy paradigm. However, before a hydrogen economy may be truly realized, three key technical barriers need to be addressed, encompassing hydrogen generation, storage, and applications. Electrolysis and photocatalytic water splitting offer the greatest potential for sustainable hydrogen production; highly efficient and stable electrocatalysts and photocatalysts are essential to these processes. The storage of hydrogen is a significant challenge, as none of the currently available hydrogen storage materials meet the stringent criteria that has been established by the US Department of Energy. In addition, the requirement for improved water treatment technologies is becoming ever more critical as cumulative population growth places an increasing strain on water resources. This proposed research program builds on our expertise and the work that is currently being carried out in my research group, with the goal of creating efficient Green Technologies for wastewater remediation and hydrogen production, as well as the design of functional nanomaterials for hydrogen storage.***Advanced functionalized nanomaterials are both scientifically intriguing and increasingly technologically critical. This proposed research program aims to advance our fundamental understanding of nanostructured electrode/electrolyte interfaces. In particular, we will investigate the effects of the compositions, dimensions and morphologies of nanomaterials in relation to their electrocatalytic and photochemical activities, as well as the kinetics of hydrogen spillover. The results of this proposed research are anticipated to have considerable beneficial implications for nanoelectrochemistry, science, and technology. These studies will assist in establishing firm correlations between interfacial structures, compositions, and reactivity, which will facilitate the development of advanced clean/green technologies to deal with increasingly critical energy and environmental challenges as well as climate change. In addition, this proposed research program will play a key role as a regional resource for the mining and pulp and paper industries in the training of highly qualified personnel with expertise in electrochemistry, materials science, environmental, and energy technologies.**