Public defence in Chemistry, M. Sc. (Tech.) Junjie Shi

Title of the thesis: Engineering Sn- and Bi-based Electrocatalysts and Electrodes for Efficient Carbon Dioxide to Formate Production

Doctoral researcher: M. Sc. (Tech.) Junjie Shi
Opponent: Professor José Solla-Gullón, Universitetet i Alicante, Spain
Custos: Professor Tanja Kallio, Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering

Engineering Sn- and Bi-based Electrocatalysts and Electrodes for Efficient Carbon Dioxide to Formate Production

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂RR) represents a promising approach to mitigating CO₂ emissions while simultaneously producing valuable chemicals. Among the various products that can be generated through CO₂RR, formate is a high-value chemical with diverse applications, but achieving efficient and selective CO₂-to-formate conversion remains a significant challenge.

Sn and Bi are emerging as highly promising electrocatalysts for CO₂ reduction to formate due to their unique electronic and catalytic properties. Both materials offer distinct advantages, but their overall activities remain low. In addition, the active sites remain unclear under cathodic potentials when starting with SnOx and BiOx.

One strategy of performance enhancement is supporting. SnOx electrocatalysts were deposited on supports of different conductivity (carbon and TiO2), in which it was studied how the supported active materials evolve under cathodic potentials. In the supported Bi2O3 work, the influence of the hydrophobicity of different supports (carbon and nitrogen-doped carbon) is also investigated. The other strategy is doping. To reveal the active catalyst during the reaction, extensive in situ Raman and ex situ physico-chemical characterizations were performed.

In conclusion, this work focuses on engineering Sn- and Bi-based electrocatalysts and electrodes, optimizing their surface properties, and improving their performance for efficient CO₂ electrochemical conversion to formate.

 

→Thesis available for public display 10 days prior to the defence

Contact information:
Junjie Shi
[email protected]

→Doctoral thesis in the School of Chemical Engineering

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