The widespread utilization of renewable energy will require energy dense and cost-effective methods for storage. This challenge could be met by coupling renewable electricity to the reduction of carbon dioxide and/or protons to fuels and the oxidation of water to O<sub>2</sub>, providing, in net, a viable scheme for artificial photosynthesis. Likewise, the resulting fuels could be recombined in a fuel cell to comprise a net carbon-neutral cycle for energy storage and recovery. Realizing these goals requires the development of new electrocatalysts with enhanced selectivity, efficiency, and durability. We have developed bottom-up approaches to the design and discovery of new electrocatalysts that emphasizes controlling structure at the molecular, nano, and meso scales. The approach has led to the discovery of a new earth-abundant catalysts for the reduction of oxygen to water and the elucidation of new design principles for the efficient reduction of carbon dioxide to fuels. Our latest findings in these areas will be discussed.

Designer interfaces for energy storage and recovery

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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