Ongoing Research @LEE

We are basically fascinated by electron transfer across interfaces and the wonders that it could make along the way in different phases of matter and all that we do revolves around ELECTROCHEMISTRY!

Electrochemistry: Fundamentals and Analytical

Electrodics
Electrocatalysis
Double-layer
Salt-water structure and Interactions at the interfaces
Electroanalytical tools and their appropriate uses
- Electrochemical Impedance
- Transient and Steady-state Voltammetry
- Capacitance Spectroscopy
- AC Electrolysis (Paired)

Even though it has been more than three centuries since the birth of electrochemistry, there are still many things to be understood well at different interfaces. I find myself thawing into the depths of electrodics, electrocatalysis, double-layer, and electroanalytical techniques and I hardly think I can find this joy elsewhere.

H2 Generation via Electrolysis

Catalyst Design
Electrolyte Optimization
Cell Construction
Understanding Activity Trends

Efficient H2 production from water is what will determine how fast the world transitions into Hydrogen Economy and I am engaged in the search for high-performance (high activity, excellent stability, exclusive selectivity) electrocatalysts. I am also involved in understanding the dynamic changes of catalysts under catalytic turnover conditions upon OER and HER in different pH.

Two-Electron Water Oxidation

Catalyst design
Electrolyte Engineering
H2O2 electrosynthesis

Synthesizing H2O2 in an eco-friendlier way is of great importance and electrooxidation of water in a controlled manner (just by pulling 2 electrons off two molecules of water) is the safest way of all known methods and I have been pretty busy with a few promising catalytic systems recently.

Electrooxidation of Small Molecules

Oxidation of alcohols, sugars, urea, hydrazine, ammonia, and boranes
Waste-water treatment
Energy-saving H2 Production

Small molecules requiring lower overpotentials for their oxidation are of great importance in the area of energy-saving H2 production where the wastewater containing these small molecules as pollutants can be electrolyzed with lesser energy input and can simultaneously purify water. I have been also focusing on generating efficient catalysts for such oxidation reactions and their cell design.

Electrochemical Anodization for Accessing Self-supported Catalysts

Anodization of metal substrates
Redox-Property-Directed Anodization
Self-supported Catalysts

Every electrocatalytic reaction relies largely on the activity and stability for their successful scale-ups. Powder catalysts and catalysts that require electrode modification procedures often fail to deliver the benchmark stability anticipated for large-scale operations. To curb this issue, fabricating self-supported catalysts with atomic-level bonding with the substrates is what is needed which can be easily done using electrochemical anodization. I have been examining various metals for their successful anodization in order to generate arrays of nanostructures on the same for various applications.