The eighth and final ChBE seminar of the Fall Quarter will be Thursday, December 3rd at 9am in LR4. Dr. Eranda Nikolla from Wayne State University will present a seminar titled, "Molecular approaches toward the development of efficient catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion " detailed information is given below:

Speaker: Dr. Eranda Nikolla, Wayne State UniversityTitle: Molecular approaches toward the development of efficient catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion AbstractDwindling fuel resources and high levels of CO2 emissions have increased the need for renewable energy resources and more efficient energy conversion and storage systems. The goal of our research group is to design active, selective and stable electrocatalysts and catalysts for energy generation and storage technologies. We employ a combined experimental and theoretical approach, including various spectroscopies, microscopies and quantum chemical calculations to study processes at the gas/solid and liquid/solid interfaces with the aim of guiding the development of efficient and environmentally friendly materials for chemical energy conversion and storage.

In this presentation, I will discuss our work on developing active and stable electrocatalysts for electrolysis of stable molecules such as H2O using solid oxide electrolysis cells. DFT calculations are employed to identify the chemical/electrochemical steps that limit the activity and stability of the electrocatalysts for this process and devise ways to improve their performance. I will also discuss our efforts to develop stable O2-electrode materials for Li-air batteries. While Li-air battery is a promising energy storage technology, its commercial application is limited by the performance of the O2-electrode. We have employed microscopic, spectroscopic and electro-kinetic measurements to shed light on the elementary processes that limit the performance these systems. Based on this understanding, we have devised ways to improve their performance by molecularly engineering O2-electrode materials. Lastly, I will discuss our efforts in developing heterogeneous catalysts for epimerization of sugars, an important chemistry toward synthesis of rare sugars.

BiographyEranda Nikolla is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Wayne State University. Her research interests lie in the development of heterogeneous catalysts and electrocatalysts for chemical conversion processes and electrochemical systems (i.e., fuel cells, electrolyzers) using a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques. Dr. Nikolla received her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from University of Michigan in 2009 working with Prof. Suljo Linic and Prof. Johannes Schwank in the area of solid-state electrocatalysis. She conducted a two-year postdoctoral work at California Institute of Technology with Prof. Mark E. Davis prior to joining Wayne State University. At Caltech she developed expertise in synthesis and characterization of meso/microporous materials and functionalized surfaces. Dr. Nikolla is the recipient of a number of awards including the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the Department of Energy CAREER Award and the Young Scientist Award from the International Congress on Catalysis.Date & Time: Thursday, December 3rd 9:00 am - 10:00 amLocation: Tech LR4 (refreshments will be available at 8:45am)