Researchers use renewable electrons to drive chemical reactions through photocatalysis, electrocatalysis and plasma catalysis routes, alternatives to thermal catalysis to help decarbonize chemical and fuel production processes.
Photocatalysis
- Photocatalysis of water splitting, CO2, N2 reduction and biomass conversion
- Photocatalysts: low dimensional materials including 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), transition metal carbides (MXenes), and plasmonic metal particles.
- Light sources: Hg lamp, Xe lamp, UV and visible light filters to allow test in full spectrum, UV or visible light regions.
Electrocatalysis
- BioLogic SP-300 dual channel potentiostat control
- Various electrocatalysis reactors including H-cells, flow reactors
- Catalytic reactions: electrocatalytic reduction of CO2, N2, NOx, water electrolysis.
- Combination of plasma and electrocatalysis
- Product analysis via GC and/or MS
Plasma catalysis
- Glow discharge atmospheric plasma reactor (plasmaLeap), Liquid -Plasma reactor
- Plasma jet, dual plasma jets, gliding arc plasma catalytic reactor
- Plasma-enhanced plasma electrocatalytic reactors
- Optical emission spectroscopy of intermediates
- Mass-spectroscopy and Gas chromatography of products
