Spotlight Feature – Dr. Mohammad Danish Khan

Postdoctoral Researcher

Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University

My research at UKRI Interdisciplinary Centre for Circular Chemical Economy is focused on electrochemical CO₂ reduction (eCO2R) technology providing an innovative approach to transforming CO₂ into useful chemical compounds using electricity and specialised catalysts (Cu, Ag, Sn). The properties of these catalysts, such as their composition and surface characteristics, play a crucial role in activating CO₂ molecules and determining the type of products formed, underscoring the significance of catalyst design in enhancing the process. eCO2R technology has many applications across energy storage, chemical production, and environmental clean-up, particularly in generating fuels and chemicals from CO₂, thereby offering sustainable alternatives to conventional fossil fuels. Key products resulting from eCO2R include carbon monoxide, methane, ethylene, ethanol, and formic acid, which serve as valuable raw materials and intermediates for various industries.

In this project, my expertise in reactor design and catalyst preparation has been effectively applied. Using bimetallic catalysts, we have attained selectivity (>40%) for C₂ products (ethylene, ethanol), marking significant progress in the field. Additionally, we are working on enhancing the operational stability of the reactors by modifying the gas diffusion electrode layers and controlling the flooding. Furthermore, we are studying the effect of different ion exchange membranes for eCO2R.