Speaker: Dr. Soumyabrata Roy
Research Scientist, Rice University, TX, USA
Title: “Rational Design of Materials and Pathways for
Sustainable Chemical Transformations.”
Day and Date: Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Time: 16.00 hrs.
Venue: Leela S. Panchakarla Conference Room,
Chemistry Department, Third floor, Annex
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hosted by Prof. Chandramouli Subramaniam
Abstract Sustainable chemical conversion of untapped synthetic resources in the environment
e.g., greenhouse gases (CO2, methane), nitrogen, and water, to decarbonized fuels and feedstocks,
powered by renewable electricity, can close the anthropogenic carbon loop at meaningful scales.1-
3 However, the technological progress of these complex chemical transformations is stymied due
to the lack of systematic materials design principles, poor understanding of the complex and
branched reaction pathways that control efficiency and selectivity, and complexities associated
with elementary electron/mass/heat transfers in the reaction environment.3-5 Nano, micro and
mesoscale structural engineering of materials and inorganic interfaces can have profound effects
on the correlated bulk and surface physicochemical properties for judicious tuning of the crucial
performance descriptors and reaction pathways. In my talk, I will take a few specific examples
from my research to build a perspective on how the rational design of solid-state materials through
multiscale engineering can solve some key scientific challenges in these low temperature electrondriven pathways through mechanistic understanding of structure-activity correlations.6-15 Based on
these findings and existing challenges, I will try to derive the future course of fundamental and
applied research in the materials and reaction engineering space for emerging chemical conversion
routes, to drive the transition towards a circular energy and carbon economy.