Characterisation of molecular-scale electrocatalytic processes

The chemical process industry is an important contributor of global emission of greenhouse gasses and has a significant impact on climate change. In order to reach the UN's sustainable development goals and remain competitive, the entire chemical sector must make the transition towards renewable raw materials and focus on achieving a higher level of efficiency and reuse in materials and processes. One of the key pathways to achieving this through the better use of sustainable catalysts to drive chemical production in faster more efficient ways.
This project aims to inform the design, implementation and optimisation of on-surface electrocatalytic processes currently at low TRL levels to accelerate their implantation in the global chemical industry, with the ultimate aim to reach climate neutrality. Specifically, the project will use the unique suite of scanning probe microscopes developed at Lancaster and our recently installed x-ray photoelectron spectrometry facility to study the changes in new catalytic materials over their active lifetime.