Advanced Materials and Characterization Tools for Energy Conversion and Storage

这项提案旨在支持一项正在进行的材料化学研究计划，该计划在能源转换和存储方面的应用得到了一项成功的发现拨款申请的支持。进一步的资助将允许申请者继续重要的工作，并在电催化和高温高压(高温、高压)电化学领域启动新的基础研究项目。*该研究计划将探索合成先进的和表征良好的金属氧化物/碳催化剂载体的新方法。研究了负载型纳米粒子(NPs)在高温条件下对氧还原和醇氧化反应的催化活性和稳定性。将特别注意在基础水平上了解导致催化剂和载体之间相互作用增强的条件，从而使材料在高温下具有更高的稳定性。在室温条件下被广泛研究的铂上的氧还原和PtRu上的甲醇氧化将被用作这些初步研究的参照系。*尽管将使用不同的最先进的表征技术来评估载体对催化剂NPs的活性和耐用性的作用，但最有趣的数据预计来自申请人的研究团队目前正在开发的高温高压双电极光谱电化学通道池。该电池将允许研究在铂/C和PtRu/C以及其他相关电催化剂材料上的氧还原和甲醇和乙醇的氧化动力学。高温条件在电化学中还没有得到广泛的探索，这种电池设计中的电极也可以被照亮的事实将为光电化学和利用太阳光产生电化学燃料领域的基础研究打开新的可能性。*探索基金将提供所需的资金，以支持五名研究生和五名本科生的研究工作。在申请人监督下工作的HQP将有机会获得其他实验室不常见的基础设施和研究专业知识。在材料化学方面，申请人的计划有可能推动高温聚合物电解质膜燃料电池、氢气生产领域的发展，并在二氧化碳转化为燃料、超级电容器和锂电池的领域和应用方面做出重大贡献。

This proposal aims to support an ongoing research program on materials chemistry with applications in energy conversion and storage supported by a successful Discovery Grant application. Further funding will allow the applicant to continue important work and start new fundamental research projects in the fields of electrocatalysis and high temperature and pressure (high T,p) electrochemistry.***This research program will investigate new approaches for the synthesis of advanced and well-characterized metal oxide/carbon catalyst supports. The catalytic activity and stability of supported nanoparticles (NPs) toward the reduction of oxygen and oxidation of alcohols will be studied under high T,p conditions. Particular attention will be paid to understanding, at a basic level, the conditions that result in an enhancement of the interaction between the catalyst and the support that can lead to materials with a higher stability under high T,p conditions. The reduction of oxygen on Pt and the oxidation of methanol on PtRu that were extensively studied under room temperature conditions will be used as reference systems for these initial studies.***Even though different state-of-the-art characterization techniques will be used to assess the role of the support on the activity and durability of the catalyst NPs, the most interesting data are expected to come from a high temperature and pressure dual-electrode spectroelectrochemical channel cell currently under development by the applicant's research team. The cell would allow the study of the kinetics of the reduction of oxygen and oxidation of methanol and ethanol on Pt/C and PtRu/C, as well as on other relevant electrocatalyst materials. High temperature conditions have not been explored extensively in electrochemistry, and the fact that the electrode in this cell design can also be illuminated will open new possibilities for fundamental research in the fields of photoelectrochemistry and electrochemical fuel generation using sunlight. ***The Discovery grant will provide the funding required to support the research work of five graduate students and five undergraduate summer students. HQPs working under the applicant's supervision will have access to infrastructure and research expertise that is not frequently found in other laboratories. In materials chemistry, the applicant's program has the potential to advance the field of high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, hydrogen production, and make significant contributions to areas and applications related to CO2 conversion to fuels, supercapacitors, and lithium batteries.**