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Voltage as a Driving Force for Small Molecule Separations and Activations

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Monday, February 27, 2023 12pm to 1pm

Fashion by Marina Debris

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Monday, February 27, 2023 12pm to 1pm

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Zachary Schiffer (Caltech)

The chemical industry traditionally uses pressure and temperature to drive chemical transformations, and the energy and feedstocks generally come from fossil fuels. However, as renewable electricity becomes increasingly accessible, it is attractive to consider driving these chemical reactions using an applied voltage and sustainable feedstocks. In this talk, I will first look at the broad question of how to compare electrochemical routes with traditional thermochemical routes for driving chemical reactions. Second, I will discuss how electrochemistry can enable access to renewable carbon feedstocks, such as carbon dioxide, by using voltage to separate carbon dioxide from ocean water. Third, I will discuss ammonia activation, demonstrating how voltage can both help to form new carbon-nitrogen bonds as well as enable new ammonia-based, renewable energy storage paradigms. Overall, I will start with the broad question of why and when to use voltage in the chemical industry, and then I will focus on how electrochemistry can aid processes such as carbon dioxide capture and ammonia utilization.

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