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    A Story of a Scientist: A Researcher, Mentor, Teacher, Leader, and Advocate

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    View/Open: Jilani_georgetown_0076D_15052.pdf (7.8MB)

    Creator
    Jilani, Safia Z.
    Advisor
    Tong, YuYe J
    ORCID
    0000-0002-3545-1878
    Abstract
    In efforts to find renewable and sustainable alternatives to gasoline in transportation vehicles, scientists have been studying the design and use of fuel cells. In a fuel cell, a fuel undergoes a reaction that generates electricity, and that electricity can power a vehicle. One possible solution is the ethanol fuel cell where ethanol can be converted into electricity by using nanoparticle (NP) electrocatalysts. A few issues in ethanol fuel cells include: having a catalyst with less Pt in it as Pt is costly and nonrenewable, having a catalyst with a low onset potential to improve efficiency, and having a catalyst that is selective to the full oxidation of ethanol, which also improves efficiency.In my research, I have synthesized, purified, and characterized PtNiCu NPs for the use of studying the ethanol electrooxidation reaction (EOR) in ethanol fuel cells. To better understand the mechanism of the reaction, I have studied the products generated from the reaction to determine if full vs. partial oxidation is preferred by using an in-situ electrochemical nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique that I helped develop. I also investigated part of the mechanism of the reaction using in-situ electrochemical infrared (IR) to better understand how Ni improves the EOR reaction. I also investigated part of the mechanism of EOR for a collaborator’s catalyst using in-situ electrochemical IR. The last part of my dissertation also highlights some of my contributions to advancing the scientific community beyond lab research through science communication, leadership, and advocacy.
    Description
    Ph.D.
    Permanent Link
    http://hdl.handle.net/10822/1062641
    Date Published
    2021
    Subject
    Chemistry; Chemistry;
    Type
    thesis
    Publisher
    Georgetown University
    Extent
    202 leaves
    Collections
    • Graduate Theses and Dissertations - Chemistry
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    Georgetown University Seal
    ©2009 - 2022 Georgetown University Library
    37th & O Streets NW
    Washington DC 20057-1174
    202.687.7385
    digitalscholarship@georgetown.edu
    Accessibility