Advanced Catalytic Materials for (photo)electrochemical energy conversion V

Catalysts are widely used to lower thermodynamic barriers and accelerate kinetics of reactions in many (photo)electrochemical energy conversion processes. The past few years have witnessed a rapid growth in catalytic materials research. This symposium aims to bring together researchers who are interested in, and actively working on, catalytic materials and processes for use in (photo)electrochemical energy conversion.

Scope:

With the ever-growing deployment of renewable energy and the needs for load-levelling, rapid interconversion of electrical energy to chemical energy and vice versa provides an attractive solution to off-peak renewable energy storage and utilization. Using electrolyzers, water can be split producing hydrogen fuels that are clean and high-density energy carriers. Electro-chemical water splitting by alkaline hydroxyl exchage membrane (HEM) and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers requires novel catalyst approaches for further efficiency improvement. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting using semiconductor photoelectrodes, including multi-junction architectures, offers a straightforward and potentially efficient means of hydrogen production, though formidable challenges for stable and un-assisted water splitting still remain and practical deployment of PEC cells may take a few decades. Biohybrid solar technologies form a relatively young and dynamic field of green nanotechnology in which biological components (enzymes, whole cells, light harvesting components) are interfaced with rationally designed synthetic materials. Such systems can take advantage of biological solar capture from photosynthetic organisms, such as cyanobacteria and algae, their photosynthetically active biological membranes or the components of the photosynthetic apparatus to harness solar energy and convert it into electricity and solar fuels.

Synthetic-fuels, i.e. chemicals produced by electrolyzers or bioreactors, have recently provoked increasing interest: work on electrocatalytic and photo(electro)catalytic CO2 reduction has been reported, and electrosynthesis of ammonia has lately emerged as an alternative to the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process.

To achieve high conversion efficiency, the use of catalysts in (photo)electrolyzers and fuel cells is essential. Remarkable progress has been made in recent years towards the development of new catalytic materials, with particular emphasis on the substitution, either partially or completely, of precious noble metals. Recent advances in in-operando characterization techniques, as well as in theoretical approaches to the prediction of activity trends and catalyst screening allow for fundamental understanding of catalytic mechanisms and processes and rational design of efficient and durable catalytic materials.

This symposium will provide a platform for researchers working on catalytic materials to showcase and learn about the latest findings in this fast-growing field of research. The symposium covers, but is not limited to, both experimental and theoretical studies of advanced catalytic materials that can find applications in fuel cells, electrolyzers and bio reactors of different types. Contributions to the system design of these (photo)electrochemical energy conversion devices are welcome as well as using biohybrid systems aimed at obtaining the highest product yields and conversion efficiencies. Contributions are invited on the application of the photosynthetic and heterotrophic microorganisms, or their solar-converting components that are interfaced with various synthetic materials for enhanced conversion of solar light into chemicals. Theoretical studies on developing rational approaches on minimising the wasteful back reactions and securing the optimised solar-driven direct electron transfer are also invited.

Hot topics to be covered by the symposium:

• Water splitting and fuel cell catalysts
• Semiconductor materials and biohybrid systems including multijunctional/hybrid photoelectrodes
• Electrochemical, biohybrid and solar-driven CO2 reduction and synthetic fuel production
• Catalytic materials for electro-fuel and chemical (e.g. methanol, ammonia) synthesis
• 2D materials for (photo)electrocatalysis
• Bi-functional and multi-functional electrocatalysts
• Reduction/replacement of critical metals by nano-design of abundant materials
• Theoretical and experimental approaches to catalyst screening and design
• Advanced characterization techniques (in particular in-operando) of photoelectrodes and catalysts
• Theoretical studies and computational modeling of catalytic mechanisms/processes