Electrocatalysis and Photoelectrochemistry Based on Functional Nanomaterials Seminar

Time:: 15:00
Date:: 4 July 2013
Venue:: Room 1133 Chemistry Building 27 Highfield Campus University of Southampton SO17 1BJ

For more information regarding this seminar, please email Dr Andrew Hector at A.L.Hector@soton.ac.uk .

Event details

Part of the Electrochemistry Research Seminar Series

Catalysis plays a key role in chemical production, energy processing, air purification, water treatment, food processing and the life sciences. Nanostructured materials with high surface areas have received widespread interest in electrocatalysis and photocatalysis. Recently, my research team has designed and studied a variety of novel functional nanomaterials. In this talk, I will report briefly on the electrocatalytic activity of Pt and Pd based nanomaterials and the catalysis of TiO₂ based nanostructured photocatalysts. Pd possesses several exceptional properties which enable its promising applications in hydrogen purification, storage and detection. The significant role of Pd based nanomaterials in facilitating the growth of a hydrogen economy will be addressed. Platinum-based catalysts are vital to the development of fuel cells and sensors; the design of high-performance Pt based electrocatalysts will be discussed. TiO₂ is considered as one of the most promising photocatalysts due to its non-toxicity, high stability and cost effectiveness. The modification of TiO₂ nanomaterials in the achievement of a visible light response will be presented.

Speaker information

Professor Aicheng Chen, Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University, Ontario, Canada. Aicheng Chen received his PhD from the University of Guelph under the direction of Jacek Lipkowski in 1998. He then spent four years working as a Research Scientist and Electrochemical Specialist in industry. In 2002 he joined Lakehead University as an Assistant Professor, where he was tenured and promoted to Associate Professor in 2005, Tier II Canada Research Chair in 2006, and Full Professor in 2010. Chen has contributed to 7 book chapters, 127 peer-reviewed journal articles, 76 industrial technical reports and 2 patents. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) in 2011. Chen is also the recipient of the Lakehead University Distinguished Researcher Award, the Canadian Catalysis Lectureship Award, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship, the Keith Laidler Award of the Canadian Society for Chemistry, the Lash Miller Award of The Electrochemical Society Canadian Section, the Fred Beamish Award of the Canadian Society for Chemistry, the NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement (DAS) Award, and the Ontario Premier’s Research Excellence Award.