Porous materials for the electrocatalytic conversion of H2O into H2 and O2

Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen by electrocatalysis plays a vital role in converting solar energy into chemical energy, and it provides a pathway to use water (as opposed to natural gas) as a feedstock for hydrogen production. Traditional electrocatalysts are composed of rare and expensive noble metals (Pt, Ru, Ir). To be environmentally and economically viable, we need to discover robust electrocatalysts that instead use less expensive, earth-abundant materials. Dr. Leonard’s group recently developed a new way to synthesize porous nanoamorphous (Ni, Fe) oxide structures. The technique uses microwaves, and it has recently been shown to result in catalytic activity that can out-perform the traditional synthesis method that creates layered double hydroxide structure.

Students will prepare electrocatalysts using Dr. Leonard’s novel method. They will gain hands-on experience with cyclic voltammetry, gas chromatography, and electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) instruments, learning to interpret data and consider economic/sustainability impacts for commercial viability of new innovations.