Zhao Receives National Science Foundation Award           

Funds will be used to research alternative, renewable fuels

With the support of the Chemical Catalysis program in the Division of Chemistry of National Science Foundation, Dr. Xuan Zhao, associate professor in the department of Chemistry, has received $475,000 for his project, “Hydrogen Evolution in Water Catalyzed by Molecular Cobalt Complexes with Pentadentate Ligands” to study hydrogen production from water as a promising approach to generate alternative, clean and renewable fuel for the future. Systematic analyses of the electronic and steric factors of molecular cobalt catalysts in his lab have allowed significant improvements in activity for both electro- and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The success of his research has the potential to discover new catalysts with superior efficiency and stability for hydrogen production at wide range of aqueous solutions, including both acidic and alkaline solutions, in the context of future applications in renewable energy conversion.

Undergraduate students in the Memphis region will have opportunity to participate in the summer research program in his laboratory. In addition, annual workshops on solar and renewable energy research will be offered to undergraduate students in the Memphis area. This outreach activity will introduce young researchers to challenges at the forefront of solar energy conversion and inspire them to pursue a career in the field of renewable energy research.

For more information on this research, contact Zhao at xzhao1@memphis.edu.