Synthesis of faceted metal oxides with unique surface properties in catalysis and carbon capture

The preparation of nanoscale materials is one of the most exciting areas of modern science and is at the forefront of the quest for a sustainable future. The Richards’ group is working on new synthetic methods to control the size, shape and composition of nanoscale materials and applying them in systems integral to renewable energy technologies, pharmaceuticals, biomass upgrading, batteries, petrochemicals and environmental cleanup.

The ability to manipulate earth abundant metal oxides presents an important potential technology to develop sustainable materials with novel properties. These materials are of interest due to the coordination environments that can be achieved and to the high degree of control over properties that can result from tailoring the exposed facets and from mixing metal oxides. The Richards’ research group has developed techniques to produce a number of new nanoscale metal and metal oxide materials that have demonstrated unique surface activities through controlled faceting as well as novel intercalation strategies that impart robustness.  The initial synthesis of MgO and NiO with (111) facets as the primary surface has been followed by recent work utilizing a multiscale characterization platform to discover the underlying phenomena associated with the electrolytic properties of NiO(111) for Li ion batteries and electrochromics. Joint experimental-theoretical work with collaborators unravelled the potential of (111) polar surfaces for carbon capture. Most recently, in-situ microscopy studies have revealed insights into the NiO active sites and the effects of Fe doping for electrolysis. Here, recent highlights regarding these materials and their applications will be presented.