Date/Time: 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 27th
Venue: Room A-307, Building No. 26
Lecturer: Bingjun Xu
About Lecturer:
Bingjun Xu is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at University of Delaware. Bingjun received his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry, advised by Prof. Friend, from Harvard University in 2011. His thesis established a mechanistic framework for oxidative coupling reactions on Au surface through surface science studies. Bingjun worked with Prof. Davis at Caltech on the development of a low temperature, manganese oxide based thermochemical cycle for water splitting. Upon finishing his postdoc, he joined University of Delaware in the fall of 2013. Bingjun's current research interest spans heterogeneous catalysis, electrocatalysis and in-situ spectroscopy has published intensively in leading journals including Nature Chem, PNAS, JACS, and Angew Chem.
Abstract:
Heterogeneous catalysis and electrocatalysis will play vital roles in shaping the sustainable energy landscape of the human society. In particular, the efficient upgrade of biomass, the only renewable carbon source, to fuels and chemicals will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the global energy consumption by replacing fossil fuels. Hydrodeoxygenation of platform furanic compounds and selective catalytic dehydration of methyl lactate will be used as two examples in this effort. A combination of reactivity, isotopic labeling and in-situ spectroscopic techniques is employed to reach molecular level understanding of these surface mediated processes.