SONOCATALYSIS and SONOELECTROCATALYSIS - Understanding the effects of ultrasound in catalysis and electrocatalysis

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Many countries worldwide have vowed to the Paris Agreement's climate change targets, presenting pathways to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. As a prerequisite to achieve this 2050 climate neutrality targets, they have also pledged to transition to a circular economy to reduce pressure on natural resources, to halt biodiversity loss and to create sustainable growth and jobs. This research program proposes to contribute to the climate change targets and waste valorisation by developing innovative, green and ground-breaking chemical and electrochemical processes by simply using sound, also known as sonochemistry and sonoelectrochemistry. Sono(electro)chemistry technologies are the use of ultrasound to enhance or/and alter chemical and electrochemical reactions, involving a sound wave propagating into a liquid media, in which a solid electrode is immersed. Catalytic sonochemistry and sonoelectrochemistry are emerging fields of chemistry involving the use of ultrasound in heterogenous catalysis and electrocatalysis. "Sonocatalysis and sonoelectrocatalysis" are considered as breakthrough processes for: (i) the generation of efficient catalytic energy and environmental materials, and (ii) for the production of value-added products without the need of using a) expensive and scarce Platinum Group Metal (PGM) materials, and b) toxic and environmentally unfriendly chemicals. This research program will fill the gaps in basic knowledge and understanding that explain the effects of ultrasound on (i) the production of catalytic materials, and (ii) the catalytic and electrocatalytic processes with a particular focus on the behaviour and mechanisms of the CO2 reduction (CO2RR), hydrogen (HER) and oxygen evolution (OER) reactions in acidic, neutral and alkaline environments by undertaking an in-depth and systematic scientific approach. The findings from this program will be used to develop: (i) novel, efficient, durable and low-cost catalytic energy materials (PGM-free catalysts of controlled sizes and compositions), and (ii) innovative and efficient (electro)chemical processes for the production of hydrogen and other added-value products from pure-, waste-, oxygenated- and CO2-saturated waters. This research will be conducted in the first advanced "Sonochemistry and Sonoelectrochemistry for Green Hydrogen Research" infrastructure in Canada with the required instrumentation and highly qualified personnel to facilitate innovative high-quality R&D of materials, components, testing and validation of sono(electro)chemical processes and low-temperature electrolysers. The scientific outputs generated from this highly innovative and paradigm-changing program will benefit the Canadian academic and industrial communities in developing and deploying efficient and cleaner systems to produce sustainable energy materials and processes. The proposed research program is uniquely positioned to add value to Canada's pioneering work in sonocatalysis and sonoelectrocatalysis.