Description:

Title and Abstract:

"An Emerging Area in Catalysis: Thermo-photo Catalysis for Hydrogen Production"

Thermal heterogeneous catalysis, which is based on kinetic energy as driving force, was firstly recognized by Faraday et al. in early 1800s, and photocatalysis using potential energy as driving force was introduced by Eibner in 1911. Furthermore, catalysis driven by thermal energy generated from photo energy, which is actually a thermal catalysis, also has a long research history. However, the thermo-photo catalysis, in which the synergy of thermal and photo energies drives a catalytic process, attracted attention only in the recent decade. In this presentation, Professor Hu will discuss the thermo-photo catalysis for hydrogen production, including (1) water splitting, (2) CO2 reforming of methane, and (3) steam reforming of methane.

Speaker Bio:
Dr. Yun Hang Hu is the inaugural Charles and Carroll McArthur Endowed Chair Professor at Michigan Technological University. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Energy Science & Engineering (a Wiley journal). He was the chair of the ACS Energy and Fuels Division and a senior engineer at ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company. He has obtained numerous honors and awards, including the Rudolf Erren Award from the International Association of Hydrogen Energy, a Fellow of 6 major societies (AAAS, APS, ACS, AIChE, ASM, and RSC), ACS ChemLuminary Award, and ACS ENFL Distinguished Service Award. His research interests include nanomaterials for energy and environments, energy devices, hydrogen production and storage, CO2 and methane conversion, and catalysis. He published more than 300 papers in prestigious journals.