Nanomaterials

Learn how the Leonard Lab is developing nanomaterials for improvements in electrocatalysis.

Objectives

The Leonard Lab synthesizes and develops new nanomaterials for use as electrocatalysts. These nanomaterials have unique properties not found in conventional materials, and are able to increase the rates and selectivities of electrochemical reactions. This results in catalysts that are more effective for converting water, CO₂, and renewable energy into value-added fuels and chemicals.

Projects

Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst design

Developed scalable, solution-processing method yielding low-dimensional hyperthin FeS₂ nanostructures. Also a tunable synthesis for 1D wire or 2D disc nanostructures. 

Visual of FeS₂ nanomaterials for the hydrogen evolution reaction¹

 

Carbon dioxide reduction electrocatalyst design

Produced In₂O₃ nanocatalyst that when reduced in-situ removes the metastable oxide layer and creates an In₀–In₂O₃ composite conducive to reducing CO₂.

Visual of In₂O₃ nanocatalyst for CO₂ reduction²

 

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalyst design

Fabricated mixed metal oxide nanoamorpohous electrocatalyst through a novel, facile microwave-assisted synthesis technique.

Visual of Ni:Fe oxide nanocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction³

 

  1. Jaison, D.; Barforoush, J.M.; Qiao, Q.; Zhu, Y.; Ren, S. and Leonard, K.C. "Low-Dimensional Hyperthin FeS₂ Nanostructures for Efficient and Stable Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalysis.” ACS Catalysis Vol. 5, pp. 6653 - 6657 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.5b01637
  2. Shaughnessy, C.I..; Jantz. D.T. and Leonard, K.C. “Selective electrochemical CO₂ reduction to CO using in situ reduced In₂O₃ nanocatalysts.” Journal of Materials Chemistry A Vol. 5, Issue 43, pp. 22743-22749 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TA06570A
  3. Barforoush, J.M.; Jantz. D.T.; Seuferling, T.E.; Song, K.R.; Cummings, L.C. and Leonard, K.C. “Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of a Nanoamorphous (Ni0.8,Fe0.2) oxide oxygen-evolving electrocatalyst containing only ‘fast’ sites.” Journal of Materials Chemistry A Vol. 5, Issue 23, pp. 11661-11670 (2017).  https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TA00151G