Sign Up

Feng Jiao, The Robert Grasselli Development Professor 
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
and 
Director of the Center for Catalytic Science & Technology
University of Delaware

Electrocatalysis for Carbon Dioxide Utilization

Abstract: Our society is facing the climate change and global warming challenges caused by the ever-increasing CO2 level in our atmosphere. Reducing the CO2 emission becomes a critical mission for us to fight for the sustainable future. In traditional chemical industries, most processes are driven by fossil sources, which inevitably emits a large quantity of CO2. Recently, electrochemical processes attracted attentions as they could be more environmentally friendly with a much smaller carbon footprint if powered by renewable electricity. Our research group currently focuses on the development of CO2 electrolysis devices that convert CO2 into value-added chemicals and fuels through innovations in electrocatalyst design and reactor engineering. In this talk, we will present our recent work related to a two-step tandem CO2 electrolysis system, which allows us to achieve an acetate selectivity as high as 55% at high purities and concentrations. The ability to convert CO2 into acetate made it possible to create an electrochemical-biological hybrid approach to produce foods from CO2 with a much higher efficiency than nature’s photosynthetic pathways. Additionally, we conducted a detailed techno-economic assessment of major CO2 reduction products to provide guidelines to future research and development of ambient temperature CO2 electrolysis technologies. 

Bio: Professor Feng Jiao received a BSc in Chemistry from Fudan University and a PhD degree in Chemistry from University of St Andrews. After receiving postdoctoral trainings at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Dr. Jiao joined the University of Delaware in 2010 and is now the Robert Grasselli Development Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Director of Center for Catalytic Science & Technology. Professor Jiao’s group focuses primarily on nanostructured materials, electrocatalysis, and carbon dioxide utilization. 

  • Justine Craig-Meyer

1 person is interested in this event


Feng Jiao, The Robert Grasselli Development Professor 
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
and 
Director of the Center for Catalytic Science & Technology
University of Delaware

Electrocatalysis for Carbon Dioxide Utilization

Abstract: Our society is facing the climate change and global warming challenges caused by the ever-increasing CO2 level in our atmosphere. Reducing the CO2 emission becomes a critical mission for us to fight for the sustainable future. In traditional chemical industries, most processes are driven by fossil sources, which inevitably emits a large quantity of CO2. Recently, electrochemical processes attracted attentions as they could be more environmentally friendly with a much smaller carbon footprint if powered by renewable electricity. Our research group currently focuses on the development of CO2 electrolysis devices that convert CO2 into value-added chemicals and fuels through innovations in electrocatalyst design and reactor engineering. In this talk, we will present our recent work related to a two-step tandem CO2 electrolysis system, which allows us to achieve an acetate selectivity as high as 55% at high purities and concentrations. The ability to convert CO2 into acetate made it possible to create an electrochemical-biological hybrid approach to produce foods from CO2 with a much higher efficiency than nature’s photosynthetic pathways. Additionally, we conducted a detailed techno-economic assessment of major CO2 reduction products to provide guidelines to future research and development of ambient temperature CO2 electrolysis technologies. 

Bio: Professor Feng Jiao received a BSc in Chemistry from Fudan University and a PhD degree in Chemistry from University of St Andrews. After receiving postdoctoral trainings at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Dr. Jiao joined the University of Delaware in 2010 and is now the Robert Grasselli Development Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Director of Center for Catalytic Science & Technology. Professor Jiao’s group focuses primarily on nanostructured materials, electrocatalysis, and carbon dioxide utilization.