[ChBE-Grad] UH ChBE SABIC Seminar this Friday, Feb 10

[Solano, Nicolette]

[William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Seminar Series]<https://www.chee.uh.edu>
Leveraging Light-Matter Interactions for Renewable Chemical Production


Steven Chavez
Postdoctoral Researcher
Stanford University

Friday, February 10 | 10:30am Central
Engi 2, room W122

LECTURE ABSTRACT

Developing and implementing sustainable chemical conversion processes is critical for satisfying global chemical demand while mitigating climate change. In this context, plasmonic catalysis is an emerging paradigm in chemical conversion research that can potentially decarbonize the chemical industry. Plasmonic catalysts (e.g., nanoparticles of Ag, Au, and Cu) drive photochemical reactions with higher efficiency, stability, and selectivity compared to thermal catalysts. Despite their potential, the widespread implementation of these catalysts is prevented by the inherently low chemical reactivity of light harvesting 'plasmonic metals' compared to non-light harvesting 'catalytic metals' used in industry (e.g., Pt, Pd, Ru). In this talk, I will discuss our recent advancements in expanding light-driven plasmonic photocatalysis to catalytically active metal surfaces. Specifically, I will review our unifying physical framework describing how plasmonic materials localize solar energy into catalytically active materials and adsorbates. This framework not only allows for the rational design of industrially relevant plasmonic photocatalysts, but also provides a basis for leveraging light-matter interactions to enable novel chemical conversion systems driven by renewable resources.



SPEAKER BIOSKETCH

Dr. Steven Chavez is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University working with Professor Matteo Cargnello. Prior to Stanford, he received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UC Berkeley and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow, a Ford Foundation Fellow, a Rackham Merit Fellow, and a Rackham Predoctoral Fellow working under Professor Suljo Linic. His research interests lie at the interface between nanophotonics and heterogeneous catalysis for solar-to-chemical energy conversion applications. Outside of research, he strongly advocates increasing diversity in STEM. He has 10+ years of experience conceiving, planning, and executing programs/events to improve the recruitment and retention of first-generation, low-income students in STEM fields. His proudest achievement is being recognized as UC Berkeley's Most Outstanding Student Leader in 2014 for his achievements as the President of Berkeley's chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.



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[William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering]<https://www.chee.uh.edu>

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