Edward Zhang ’19

Major

Chemistry

Project Title

Binary Transition-Metal Oxide Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Certificate(s): Music Performance

To make hydrogen gas a viable fuel and means of energy storage, we must tackle one of the biggest inefficiencies in water electrolysis (using electricity to split water into oxygen and hydrogen gas) — the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Ideally, we would like a highly active and inexpensive catalyst that is stable in concentrated acid. To this end, I designed and conducted experiments to see how well zirconium-iridium mixed oxides can act as electrocatalysts for OER. This involved synthesizing the catalyst using ionbeam sputtering, testing the catalyst in an electrochemical cell, and probing physical properties using various surface-science techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The mixed-oxide material acted as an electrocatalyst, and I found that these catalysts had excellent activity and improved stability compared to iridium oxide. As I intend to apply to graduate school, this experience offered me insights into my life ahead as a researcher.



Internship Year

2018

Project Category

Alternative Energy

Organization(s)

Koel Group, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University- Princeton, New Jersey

Mentor(s)

Bruce Koel, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Rachel Selinsky, Associate Research Scholar, Chemical and Biological Engineering; Xiaofang Yang, Visiting Research Collaborator, Chemical and Biological Engineering