The Department of Chemical Engineering and the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology invite you to hear Dr. Roberts discuss the development of electrochemical exfoliated graphene materials and heteroatom doped carbons, considering two electrochemical applications: vanadium redox flow batteries and adsorption combined with electrochemical regeneration for treatment of organic contaminants.
Abstract
Electrochemical technologies for energy storage and water treatment (as well as other applications) require electrode materials that are low cost but offer good performance and lifetime. Carbon materials are widely used, as they are relatively cheap and very versatile.
The seminar will discuss the development of electrochemical exfoliated graphene materials and heteroatom doped carbons, considering two electrochemical applications: vanadium redox flow batteries and adsorption combined with electrochemical regeneration for treatment of organic contaminants. Doping of carbon can be achieved by thermo-chemical treatments and has a significant impact on the electrochemical characteristics. Exfoliated graphenes, such as reduced graphene oxide, are an attractive carbon material for electrochemical applications, since they offer high specific surface area, conductivity and electrochemical activity. However, exfoliation methods are relatively complex and energy intensive, and they consume expensive and/or toxic chemicals. Electrochemical exfoliation offers low cost, simple process and by tuning the operating conditions the characteristics, of the graphene (including heteroatom doping) they can be tailored for different applications.
Biographical Sketch
Dr.
Edward
P.
I.
Roberts
is
a
Professor
in
the
Department
of
Chemical
and Petroleum
Engineering
at
the
University
of
Calgary.
He
graduated
with
BA,
MEng and
PhD
in
Chemical
Engineering
from
the
University
of
Cambridge,
UK.
Dr. Roberts
was
a
Lecturer
and
Reader
at
the
University
of
Manchester,
UK
for
16 years
before
moving
to
the
University
of
Calgary
in
2012.
He
has
studied
a
wide range
of
electrochemical
technologies
for
energy
and
environmental
applications and
has
a
30-year
track
record
in
research
and
innovation.
He
has
received
several awards
for
innovation,
including
the
IChemE
Water
Innovation
Award
and
the European
Academic
Enterprise
Award.
He
is
a
Fellow
of
the
Institution
of
Chemical
Engineers and
leads
the
NSERC
CREATE
program
in
Materials
for
Electrochemical
Energy
Solutions.