Dr. Héctor D. Abruña seminar

Seminar title: "Energy Conversion and Storage: Novel Materials and Operando Methods"

Abstract:
This presentation will deal with the development of new materials and operando methods for energy conversion and storage with emphasis on fuel cells and battery materials and technologies. The presentation will begin with a brief overview of the methods employed with emphasis on the use of X-ray based methods and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) under active potential control. The utility of these methods will be illustrated by selected examples focusing on non-precious metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and MEA testing as well as spectroscopic studies of Li/S batteries, Li metal deposition and the use of organic materials in electrical energy storage applications. The presentation will conclude with an assessment of future directions.

Bio:
Héctor D. Abruña, Émile M. Chamot Professor of Chemistry, is Director of the Center for Alkaline Based Energy Solutions (CABES) and the Energy Materials Center at Cornell (emc²). He completed his graduate studies with Royce W. Murray and Thomas J. Meyer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1980 and was a postdoctoral research associate with Allen J. Bard at the University of Texas at Austin from 1980-81. After a brief stay at the University of Puerto Rico, he joined Cornell in 1983. He was Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology from 2004-2008.

Prof. Abruña has been the recipient of numerous awards including a Presidential Young Investigator Award, A. P. Sloan Fellowship, J. S. Guggenheim Fellowship and J. W. Fulbright Senior Fellow. He is the recipient of the Electrochemistry Award for the American Chemical Society (2008), and the C.N. Reilley Award in Electrochemistry for 2007.  He was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2007, member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2007 and Fellow of the International Society of Electrochemistry in 2008. He received the D. C. Grahame Award from the Electrochemical Society for 2009, the Faraday Medal of the Royal Society for 2011, the Brian Conway Prize from the International Society of Electrochemistry for 2013, was named Fellow of the Electrochemical Society in 2013 and in 2017 was the recipient of the Gold Medal of the International Society of Electrochemistry. He was elected member of the National Academy of Sciences (2018) was awarded the A. J. Bard Award of the Electrochemical Society (2019) the Frumkin Medal of the International Society of Electrochemistry (2019) and the American Chemical Society Award in Analytical Chemistry (2021). Prof. Abruña is the co-author of over 555 publications (h-index = 101) and has given over 670 invited lectures world-wide. He considers his 62 Ph.D. students and 75 Post-Doctoral associates, to date, as his most important professional achievement.