DIKUL - logo
E-resources
Peer reviewed Open access
  • Liquefied Sunshine: Transfo...
    MacFarlane, Douglas R.; Choi, Jaecheol; Suryanto, Bryan H. R.; Jalili, Rouhollah; Chatti, Manjunath; Azofra, Luis Miguel; Simonov, Alexandr N.

    Advanced materials (Weinheim), 05/2020, Volume: 32, Issue: 18
    Journal Article

    It has become apparent that renewable energy sources are plentiful in many, often remote, parts of the world, such that storing and transporting that energy has become the key challenge. For long‐distance transportation by pipeline and bulk tanker, a liquid form of energy carrier is ideal, focusing attention on liquid hydrogen and ammonia. Development of high‐activity and selectivity electrocatalyst materials to produce these energy carriers by reductive electrochemistry has therefore become an important area of research. Here, recent developments and challenges in the field of electrocatalytic materials for these processes are discussed, including the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). Some of the mis‐steps currently plaguing the nitrogen reduction to ammonia field are highlighted. The rapidly growing roles that in situ/operando and quantum chemical studies can play in new electromaterials discovery are also surveyed. Australia has an enormous potential to generate renewable energy from wind and solar, vastly more than is needed for domestic use. Most of this generation capacity is in remote regions such that means of transporting and storing this energy is required. Advances in the electrochemical production of chemical energy carriers including hydrogen, reduced carbon compounds, and ammonia are discussed.