2025 AIChE Annual Meeting

(56d) Controlling Electrocatalytic Performance Beyond the Active Site

Author

Joaquin Resasco - Presenter, University of Texas At Austin
Electrochemical processes offer an appealing way to store intermittent energy produced by renewable electricity sources and sustainably produce chemicals that are currently derived from petroleum. It is well known that the performance of these processes is affected not only by the composition and structure of the (electro)catalyst used, but also by the electrolyte in which the reaction is run. In particular, the choice of electrolyte cation markedly impacts the performance of catalysts for many critical reactions. But the reason behind these changes remains disputed. In this talk, I will describe a physical model we have developed that helps rationalize these effects. We propose that the electric field present at the catalyst surface is sensitive to the identity of the cation in the electrolyte. This interfacial field alters the energetics of the reaction and consequently catalytic performance. These ideas help deepen our understanding of catalysis in electrochemical environments and provide new tools for the design of high efficiency fuel cells, electrolyzers, and electro-synthetic cells.