In a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of researchers from Binghamton University collaborated with the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) from the U.S. Department of Energy to explore oxidation reactions which could lead to better clean energy solutions in the future.
Dr. Guangwen Zhou is a professor of mechanical engineering at Binghamton University, State University of New York. (Credit: Binghamton University, State University of New York)
For the study, the researchers used spectroscopy to observe hydrogen oxidation of peroxides on the surface of copper oxide while simultaneously reducing carbon monoxide oxidation.
“Copper is one of the most studied and relevant surfaces, both in catalysis and in corrosion science,” said Dr. Anibal Boscoboinik, who is a materials scientist at CFN and a co-author on the study. “So many mechanical parts that are used in industry are made of copper, so trying to understand this element of the corrosion processes is very important.”
As part of their experiments, the researchers formed different peroxide species using hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and oxygen to successfully change the redox steps of catalytic oxidation reactions that took place on the surface of oxidized copper. A redox occurs when an oxidizing substance loses electrons, and the reducing substance gains them.
“A nice feature of CFN lies not only in its state-of-the-art facilities for science, but also the opportunities it provides to train young researchers,” said Dr. Guangwen Zhou, who is a professor of mechanical engineering at Binghamton University and a co-author on the study. ”Each of the students involved has benefited from extensive, hands-on experience in the microscopy and spectroscopy tools available at CFN.”
Gaining knowledge about oxide catalysts helps scientists gain better control over their chemical reactions and their products. Along with applications for clean energy solutions, the study’s findings could also be used to help better understand catalysts aside from copper.
“I’m involved in some other projects related to copper and copper oxides, including transforming carbon dioxide to methanol to use as a fuel for clean energy,” said Dr. Ashley Head, who is also a materials scientist at CFN and a co-author on the study. “Looking at these peroxides on the same surface that I use has the potential to make an impact on other projects using copper and other metal oxides.”
An example of a recent project from Dr. Head involving copper is a 2022 study that examined the decomposition of methanol on a copper surface under ambient temperatures and pressures. They found that methanol absorbed completely on all copper surfaces used in the experiments and formed methoxy, and much like this most recent study, could be used for clean energy solutions.
Sources: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, EurekAlert!, Britannica, ACS Catalysis
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