Catalysis: Advancing Affordable and Clean Energy

Abstract

Catalysis speeds up chemical reactions and plays a key role in producing cleaner, more affordable fuels. In this talk, we explore two exciting areas of research. First, we present our latest findings on the Fischer-Tropsch process—a method developed nearly a century ago that converts coal, natural gas, or biomass into liquid fuels. Our research reveals that this process naturally oscillates between periods of high and low activity ^[1], an unexpected behavior that could pave the way for more efficient fuel production in the future. Next, we address the challenge of reducing harmful emissions from fuel combustion used to power transportation. For example, catalytic converters in internal combustion engines rely on precious metals like platinum, palladium, and rhodium to clean exhaust gases and lower emissions. Our latest work focuses on developing highly stable catalysts made from single atoms of these metals, which could lower costs and make better use of these limited resources ^[2-6]. Together, these studies show the transformative potential of advanced catalysis to revolutionize fuel production and emission control, paving the way for cleaner and more efficient energy systems. 

References:

1. R.Zhang, Y.Wang*, P.Gaspard, N.Kruse*, “The oscillating Fischer-Tropsch reaction”, Science, 2023, 382, 99-103.
2. J.Jones, H.Xiong, A.T. DeLaRiva, E.J. Peterson, H.Pham, S.R. Challa, G.Qi, S.Oh, M.H. Wiebenga, X.Hernández, Y.Wang, A.K. Datye, “Thermally stable single-atom platinum-on-ceria catalysts via atom trapping”, Science, 2016, 353(6295), 150-154.
3. L.Nie, D.Mei, H.Xiong, B.Peng, Z.Ren, X.Hernandez, A.DeLaRiva, M.Wang, M.H. Engelhard, L. Kovarik, A.K. Datye, Y.Wang, “Activation of surface lattice oxygen in single-atom Pt/CeO2 for low-temperature CO oxidation”, Science, 2017, 358, 1419-1423.
4. X. Li, X. I. P. Hernandez, Y. Chen, J. Xu, J. Zhao, C. Pao, C.-Y. Fang, J. Zeng*, Y. Wang*, B. C. Gates*, J. Liu*, “Functional CeOx Nanoglues for Robust Atomically Dispersed Catalysts”, Nature, 2022, 611, 284–288.
5. D.Jiang, G.Wan, J.H.Stenlid, C.E. García-Vargas, J.Zhang, C.Sun, J.Li, F. Abild-Pedersen, C.J. Tassone, Yong Wang, “Dynamic and reversible transformations of sub-nanometer-sized palladium on ceria for efficient methane removal”, Nature Catalysis, 2023, 6, 618–627.
6. K.Khivantsev, H.Pham, M.H.Engelhard, H.A.Aleksandrov, L.Kovarik, M.Bowden, X.S.Li, J.Tian, I.Z.Koleva, I.Song, W.Hu, X.Wei, Y.Sun, P.Tran, T.R.Graham, D.Jiang, D.P.Dean, C.J.Breckner, J.T.Miller, G.N.Vayssilov, J.Szanyi, A.Datye, Y.Wang, “Transforming CeO2 nanoparticles into ultra small ceria clusters on alumina enhances catalytic activity”, Nature, 2025, 649, 947-953.

About the Speaker

Prof. WANG Yong is a Regents Professor and Voiland Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at Washington State University (WSU) and Acting Director of the Institute for Integrated Catalysis at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). He is renowned for pioneering novel catalytic materials and reaction engineering solutions to improve energy and atom efficiency in converting fossil fuels, biomass, CO2, and waste plastics into fuels and chemicals. His work spans fundamental research to industrial applications, driving advancements in sustainable technologies to address pressing global energy, resource, and environmental challenges.

Prof. Wang has authored over 450 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, including Science (3), Nature (2), JACS, and Angewandte Chemie International Edition. He is listed as a Highly Cited Researcher by Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics) in 2023 and 2024. He also holds 285 issued patents, including 111 U.S. patents, with over 90% licensed to industry. Prof. Wang is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. His numerous honors include the 2025 AIChE Wilhelm Award, the 2025 North American Catalysis Society Robert Burwell Lectureship Award, the 2021 ACS E.V. Murphree Award in Industrial Chemistry & Engineering, and the 2019 AIChE Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Practice Award. Currently, he is Co-Editor-in-Chief of Applied Catalysis B and Executive Editor of the Chemical Engineering Journal.

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