Dr. Ying Li has been awarded a new grant from the National Science Foundation that seeks to support research with the potential to develop an environmentally friendly method of recycling one of Earth's most common greenhouse gases.
Li serves as associate professor, Pioneer Natural Resources Faculty Fellow III and director of graduate programs in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University.
The three-year award will enable Li to support and train one doctoral student to conduct fundamental research in nanomaterials for energy sustainability.
The support provides Li with the ability to broaden the field of his research in the area of carbon dioxide utilization and has the potential to produce an economically viable method of recycling the greenhouse gas into useful products.
"This new award focuses on electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 and water to gaseous or liquid fuels that can be easily stored and transported," Li said. "The electricity consumed in this process can be generated from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, so this approach is green and sustainable."
Li serves as the principal investigator on the research project, which is a collaborative effort with peers from the University of Pittsburgh and the University at Buffalo. Details about the research project can be found on the NSF website.