The materials chemistry research group encourages top-rank post doctoral fellows, both national and international, to apply for the elite Banting and Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships to support their work in our group.
The applications can be found on the Banting and Vanier websites.
We also encourage Marie-Curie and Alexander von Humbolt fellows as well as other top rank international graduate and post-graduate scholars holding research fellowships to apply for positions in our group.
In this op-ed, Geoff outlines the roadmap to achieving CO2 utilization on a gigaton scale, detailing four missions: to utilize atmospheric CO2, recycle CO2 from combustion sources, prevent CO2 being released into the atmosphere, and boost CO2 sinks on the ocean and land.
A modular CO2 refinery developed by Ineratec is highlighted, enabling Lego like assembly of small to industrial scale CO2 refineries
The full article can be read here.
Despite hydrogen having the largest known gravimetric energy storage capacity (33kWh/kg), its storage requires prohibitively low temperatures or high pressures. In this op-ed, Geoff describes the use of liquid organic hydrogen carriers to effectively access hydrogen hydrogen storage.
The full article can be read here.
Transportation is well known to generate a large fraction of the world’s anthropogenic CO2, which consequently produces negative consequences for future transportation, specifically aviation. In this op-ed, Geoff highlights the effect of climate change on aviation, including intensification of clear air turbulence, rising sea levels around coastal airports, and more frequent storm surges.
The full article can be read here.
In this op-ed, Geoff describes the four performance indicators of CO2 reduction technologies:
product selectivity, material stability, mass conversion, and solar-to-fuel energy efficiency. Alone, these indicators may be misleading, but Geoff highlights a report by Steinfeld’s group which reported all four values in a solar reactor utilizing ceria catalyst.
The full article can be read here.
Geoff’s latest op-ed details the history of methanol synthesis from the pyrolysis of wood in ancient egypt to the current state of the art Cu/ZnO and Cu/ZrO2 catalysts.
The full article can be read here.
Thermally splitting of water typically requires temperatures around 1500°C. In this op-ed, Geoff discusses the case of Cu@TiO2 as a photothermally driven water splitting catalyst operating under 1 sun illumination and under 150°C.
The key to this approach is a two step reduction and oxidation cycle in a low pO2 environment.
The full article can be read here.
Concerns over the world’s supply of fresh water has been steadily growing and if not addressed, is expected to cost 6% of the world’s GDP by 2050. In this op-ed, Geoff describes how brine saturated with CO2 will crystallize as CO2@H2O clathrate hydrates separately from the salt at high pressure and low temperature.
This approach tackles two problems simultaneously as a way to utilize CO2 and desalinate water.
The full article can be read on the here.
Can natural gas be used as a source of energy without producing CO2? In an op-ed by Geoff, the pyrolysis of CH4 to C + 2H2 is proposed as promising way to effectively utilize CH4. The process can be driven photothermally, producing carbon, with many useful applications and energy rich H2.
The full article can be read on the here.
In an article by Prof. Steinfeld and Prof. Stechel, they point out the rules set for the Carbon XPRIZE do not facilitate the use of solar energy as the sole source of energy, and may actually promote technologies that produce more CO2 equivalents than it would consume. Modifications to the prize’s guidelines are thus brought up and discussed.
The full article can be read here.
Concordia’s Science Odyssey was kick-started with a lecture from Geoff entitled “Jar of Fears: Do We Want to Fight CO2 or Embrace It?” The Science Odyssey celebrates science in many forms – from a science fair for children and families, to a multi-disciplinary art exhibition, to an event examining science facts and fiction. Led by Concordia professors in collaboration with international guest lecturers, students and the public alike had the opportunity to immerse themselves in a challenging and vibrant intellectual environment. This unique opportunity allowed academic fields to converge while looking at science from a variety of angles. Science Odyssey is an initiative of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC).
The full article can be read on Concordia’s website, the abstract can be found here, and Geoff’s Jar of Fears Odyssey lecture can be viewed here.
