Heterogeneous Catalysis

Gaining molecular control over surface processes is a central problem that I find intriguing. To this end, I focus on understanding surface-driven chemical transformations leading to value-added chemicals. This includes studying reactions such as hydrogen evolution, carbon dioxide reduction, and ammonia production. Specifically, I have studied the performance of catalysts composed of earth-abundant elements and explored the impact of catalytic sites consisting of metals and non-metals on electrocatalytic activity and selectivity.

Mechanochemistry offers a unique approach to influence material properties, as the application of force or pressure can impact the nature of chemical bonding. On the other hand, controllable molecular movement can enable the manipulation of a material's electronic structure. In this context, I try to combine mechanochemistry and molecular motion to predict emergent properties of multi-component systems. We recently predicted that directional molecular motion can be induced by mechanical distortions of 2-dimensional materials. Our ongoing efforts involve harnessing this effect for applications in catalysis.