Layered two-dimensional materials such as graphene and transition metal chalcogenides possess a rare combination of properties, which are distinctly different from their bulk counterparts. One of the emerging applications of 2D materials is in electrocatalysis; the field of catalysis that is concerned with electrochemical reactions. This area is key to the development of energy conversion and storage devices such as batteries, fuel cells, electrolysers and solar cells. A major bottleneck to the commercialization of these devices is the discovery of efficient and cost-effective catalysts for accelerating important reactions such as the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which take place at the electrodes of these devices. All three reactions are sluggish in nature and traditionally require the use of precious metal catalysts. Thus, the focus of our work is to develop inexpensive, stable and catalytically active materials for the ORR, OER and HER reactions, that can compete the performance of precious based catalysts.

In this talk, I will highlight some of our key contributions employing various forms of graphene including nanosized graphene, nitrogenated reduced graphene oxide (RGO), vertical graphene nanoflakes as well as MoS2 nanosheets as electrodes.  Specifically, I will highlight the role of edge plane defects and thickness for catalysing reactions and present strategies for increasing the active edges of graphene and chalcogenide nanosheets. In addition, I will discuss the strategic implementation of highly coupled graphene based hybrid systems, which can lead to highly desirable properties for ORR, OER, and HER reactions.

Layered two-dimensional materials such as graphene and transition metal chalcogenides possess a rare combination of properties, which are distinctly different from their bulk counterparts. One of the emerging applications of 2D materials is in electrocatalysis; the field of catalysis that is concerned with electrochemical reactions. This area is key to the development of energy conversion and storage devices such as batteries, fuel cells, electrolysers and solar cells. A major bottleneck to the commercialization of these devices is the discovery of efficient and cost-effective catalysts for accelerating important reactions such as the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which take place at the electrodes of these devices. All three reactions are sluggish in nature and traditionally require the use of precious metal catalysts. Thus, the focus of our work is to develop inexpensive, stable and catalytically active materials for the ORR, OER and HER reactions, that can compete the performance of precious based catalysts.

In this talk, I will highlight some of our key contributions employing various forms of graphene including nanosized graphene, nitrogenated reduced graphene oxide (RGO), vertical graphene nanoflakes as well as MoS2 nanosheets as electrodes.  Specifically, I will highlight the role of edge plane defects and thickness for catalysing reactions and present strategies for increasing the active edges of graphene and chalcogenide nanosheets. In addition, I will discuss the strategic implementation of highly coupled graphene based hybrid systems, which can lead to highly desirable properties for ORR, OER, and HER reactions.