School Seminar: Dr. Fengwang Li, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Friday, 4 August 11:00am – 12:00pm
This seminar will be delivered in Chemistry Lecture Theatre 4 and Online (Zoom) Please email chemistry.researchsupport@sydney.edu.au for zoom link and password.
Speaker: Dr. Fengwang Li, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Host: Dr Kaye Kang
Title: Microenvironment tuning for CO2 electrocatalysis
Abstract: Electrochemical conversion of CO2 and H2O to value-added chemical feedstocks and fuels, powered using renewable electricity, provides a sustainable and carbon-neutral approach to tackling global energy and climate concerns. The key challenges before the large-scale implementation of this electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) lie in the catalytic materials and systems that enable high product selectivity as well as carbon and energy efficiency. Tuning the local microenvironment appears to be a powerful approach to address these challenges. In this presentation, I will showcase how our recent research advances in a new coordination polymer based single-site copper catalyst can improve the CO2RR selectivity towards multicarbon products through tuning the coordination microenvironment. I will also present how functional adlayers in a composite electrode structure can tune the ion transport in the vicinity of the catalyst and thereby promote CO2RR in strongly acidic electrolyte.
Bio: Dr Fengwang Li is a Lecturer with the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Sydney, where he joined in April 2020. His research aims for a “greener”, carbon-neutral future relying on electrochemical energy. Dr Li completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry at Renmin University of China. He gained his PhD in Chemistry in 2017 from Monash University where his doctoral thesis was awarded the university’s Mollie Holman Medal for best PhD thesis. He then moved to Canada to complete postdoctoral research at the University of Toronto, where he focused on developing catalysts and systems for the conversion of carbon dioxide to value-added fuels and chemicals. Dr Li has published, as the first-/corresponding-author, more than 80 research articles in top-tier journals including Nature, Science, Nature Catalysis, Nature Synthesis, Angewandte Chemie, and Nature Communications. His work has been recognised by many prestigious awards, including the 2023 SOAR Prize, 2021 MIT Technology Review 35 Innovators Under 35 China list, 2021 IChemE Nicklin Medal, 2020 Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA), and 2020 Royal Australian Chemistry Society Young Electrochemist Award.