(690a) A Tutorial On Electrocatalysis: Fundamental Concepts, Methods, and Applications

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in research and development efforts for technologies that involve electrochemical transformations.  Examples include solar fuels, flow batteries, and fuel cells. Electrocatalysis plays a crucial role in these (and related) technologies, as the efficiency of the device is closely correlated to catalyst efficiency. This talk will serve as a tutorial in the area of electrocatalysis, geared for non-experts with limited experience in electrochemistry.

The talk will cover fundamental concepts in the field, including electrochemical thermodynamics and kinetics. Examples of topics include: how to read and understand cell potentials, how to interpret current-voltage data, and a primer on how to rank catalysts. The focus will primarily be on chemical transformations on surfaces. Experimental methods will be briefly described, along with electrocatalyst figures of merit that are commonly employed in electrocatalysis studies. The talk will conclude with application notes relevant to selected electrochemical energy conversion reactions. The ultimate goal of this tutorial is to introduce non-experts to the fundamental knowledge and conceptual framework needed to follow research presentations and published literature in the area of electrocatalysis.