bp-ICAM Webinar: Electrocatalytic and Photoelectrocatalytic Pathways to Green Hydrogen

Professor James Durrant begins 2022 webinar series with his talk on "Electrocatalytic and Photoelectrocatalytic Pathways to Green Hydrogen".

Abstract

Water oxidation catalysis is a key challenge for both electrocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic systems for green hydrogen synthesis from water. The water oxidation reaction is both thermodynamically and kinetically challenging, with the overpotential required to drive this reaction often being a key determinant of device performance. In this talk, Professor James Durrant discusses the potential importance of both electrocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic water splitting in society’s transition to more sustainable energy systems. He goes on to talk about the potential of operando optical spectroelectrochemistry to analyse the redox reaction in metal oxides electrodes and photoelectrodes. He also gives examples of the insights gained from operando spectroelectrochemistry into the design and function of a selection of materials, including Iridium Oxide and Nickel/Iron Oxyhydroxide electrocatalysts, as well as Hematite, Bismuth vanadate and Strontium Titanate photoelectrodes/photocatalysts.


Bio

James Durrant is Professor of Photochemistry in the Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London and Sêr Cymru Solar Professor, College of Engineering, University of Swansea. His research focuses on the use of transient spectroscopies to investigate the function of new materials for sustainable energy conversion, including materials for artificial photosynthesis, solar cells and electrolysis. More widely, as part of the SPECIFIC IKC, he leads the EPSRC programme grant ATIP, and at Imperial leads its Centre for Processable Electronics (the CPE).