Key research areas for the development of energy chemistry in the next 10 years

1. Field of carbon-based energy chemistry (1) Methane activation and conversion: Seeking new pathways for catalytic conversion of methane that can achieve higher yields of target products ； Focus on developing new methods for catalytic conversion of methane under relatively mild reaction conditions, and develop new catalytic systems that couple light, electricity, and thermal catalytic reactions. ； Focus on unconventional methods of methane activation, explore various activation methods of methane when using different oxidants and reaction methods under extreme reaction conditions, and seek efficient reaction pathways ； The design and preparation of innovative catalytic materials not only considers the activation of methane at the catalytic active site, but also pays attention to the microenvironment of the active center. (2) Biomass conversion: A new method to study the structure, aggregation state of lignocellulose, its pretreatment and separation of its main components ； Research on the direct catalytic conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose into platform compounds such as monosaccharides and polyols and their catalytic conversion to prepare liquid fuels and chemicals ； Study the green catalytic depolymerization of lignin and the preparation of compounds such as aromatics and cycloalkanes ； Basic research on catalysts and reaction mechanisms for highly selective conversion of lignocellulose ； Organically combine chemical and biological transformation to develop new methods and processes for efficient conversion of lignocellulose. (3) Catalytic conversion of synthesis gas: Draw on recent achievements in active phase size effects, confinement effects and additive effects, introduce mesoporous zeolite molecular sieves, nanocarbon materials and low-dimensional nanostructure materials, develop synthesis methods of core-shell, confinement and other nanostructured catalytic materials, and create high-activity and high-selectivity synthesis gas conversion catalysts ； Combined with theoretical simulation and spectroscopic characterization studies, the mechanism of CO/CO2 activation and C-C coupling under reaction conditions is revealed, and the key factors that control the growth of carbon chains are deeply understood. ； Construct a multifunctional collaborative catalytic system, effectively utilize reaction coupling, and develop new reactions and processes for synthesis gas conversion. ； Innovations in reactor design and reaction process intensification. (4) Chemical utilization of carbon dioxide: Comprehensive theoretical analysis and molecular simulation of catalytic activation and conversion of carbon dioxide ； Novel preparation method of carbon dioxide conversion catalyst ； Explore the potential value of utilizing carbon dioxide negative ions ； Explore new reactions or new reaction pathways for the catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide ； Photocatalytic conversion and photoelectrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide.

2. Field of Electrical Energy Chemistry (1) Fuel Cell: Low platinum/non-platinum catalytic oxygen reduction and hydrogen (and biomass fuel) oxidation processes, including catalytic materials and catalytic mechanism analysis ； Molecular design and synthesis of new anti-radical non-fluorine solid electrolytes ； Interfacial behavior and polarization nature of porous electrodes for efficient energy conversion ； High consistency stack selection and control strategy and mechanism, high reliability system integration technology ； High fuel utilization fuel cell water and heat management technology ； Develop new hydrogen storage materials and efficient and low-cost hydrogen production technology. (2) Power battery: Research and development of high specific energy material systems ； Research basic scientific issues such as electrode reaction process, reaction kinetics, and interface control ； Developing methods for in situ characterization of electrode surface interfaces ； Conduct research on electrochemical processes based on full battery systems ； Promote the transformation of research and development results of new metal lithium battery systems such as lithium-sulfur batteries. (3) Flow battery: Preparation technology and engineering amplification technology of high concentration and high stability electrolyte solutions ； Engineering and industrialization technology of high-performance non-fluorine ion conductive membranes ； Engineering and industrialization technology of highly conductive and highly active electrode bipolar plates ； Research and development of large-capacity, high-power-density flow battery stacks ； Research, development and commercial application demonstration project of large-scale (high power, large capacity) flow battery energy storage power station technology. (4) Energy storage lithium/sodium ion battery: ?Research on low-cost, long-life lithium/sodium-ion battery materials ； Surface structure and functional control of materials ； Research on battery performance evolution process ； Battery safety mechanism and control technology ； Research on the mechanism of fast electrode reaction process ； Resource utilization and environmental protection of lithium/sodium-ion batteries. (5) Lead-acid and lead-carbon batteries: Research on the mechanism of action of carbon materials ； Research on negative electrode hydrogen evolution suppression technology ； Research on microstructure design and preparation technology of carbon materials ； Research on battery structure design and production technology. (6) Lithium-air battery: Research on high stability and high catalytic activity cathode materials ； Research on non-volatile electrolyte with high electrochemical stability ； Research on improving the interfacial stability of metallic lithium electrodes ； Research on high-performance solid electrolyte separators and oxygen selective permeation technology. (7) All-solid-state battery: Develop solid electrolyte systems such as ionic conductors with high ionic conductivity and high environmental adaptability, and conduct research on the synthesis methods and electrochemical properties of new fast ionic conductor materials. ； Conduct research on chemical and electrochemical interactions between interface substances and their reaction mechanisms and kinetics ； Develop applied basic research on all-solid-state lithium battery preparation technology. (8) Wearable flexible batteries and microelectronic system energy storage devices: Develop electrode materials and new solid electrolytes with excellent mechanical properties and good electrochemical properties ； Developing flexible current collectors with high electronic conductivity and good mechanical properties ； Research on packaging materials with high strength and good flexibility ； Design new battery structures and packaging technologies that are compatible with electronic systems.

3. Field of Solar Energy Chemistry (1) Solar Cells: Development of new lamination technology combining 1st to 3rd generation solar cells ； Practical implementation of 3rd generation solar cell technology. (2) Solar fuel: Research on the development and preparation technology of broad spectrum semiconductor materials ； Basic research and large-scale production of hydrogen by photo(electric) catalytic water splitting ； Design and synthesis of photo(electro)catalytic carbon dioxide reduction catalysts ； Combination of solar cells and electrocatalysis ； Interface engineering for efficient photoelectrochemical systems. (3) Solar thermochemistry: Solar thermal chemical fuel conversion ； Solar thermochemical energy storage ； Solar thermochemical complementary power generation.

4. Thermal Energy Chemistry Field (1) Combustion Chemistry: Explore the microscopic mechanisms of key combustion element reactions ； Carry out accurate measurements of combustion reaction intermediates and wide-range validation of models ； Establish kinetic models of liquid and solid fuel combustion reactions ； In-depth study of the formation mechanism of combustion pollutants. (2) Chemical chain combustion: Screening and performance study of oxygen carriers ； Design optimization of chemical chain combustion reactor ； Expanded applications of chemical chain combustion systems. (3) High temperature fuel cell: Basic research on molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) materials ； Basic research on solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) materials ； High-temperature fuel cell engineering application demonstration research ； Research on direct carbon fuel cells (DCFC). (4) Hydrogen production by high-temperature electrolysis of water vapor: Research on the electrode reaction mechanism of solid oxide battery (SOEC) ； Research on the decay mechanism of SOEC stack ； Development of high-temperature in-situ characterization methods ； SOEC? Research and development and microstructure optimization of new material systems ； Development of new SOEC? electrolytic cells ； Develop large-scale system integration technology and coupling technology with clean energy, and establish advanced engineering demonstration devices ； Develop high-temperature co-electrolysis CO2/water vapor technology to prepare syngas.

(1) Energy surface interface physics and chemistry: Thermodynamic/dynamic characteristics of energy surface interface and the rules of structure-modulated electronic states ； Modification of energy surface and interface structures and regulation of energy chemical processes ； External field control of energy surface interface and enhancement of energy chemical processes ； New technologies for characterization of energy physical and chemical processes ； New methods for theoretical research on energy physical and chemical processes. (2) Theoretical issues in energy chemistry: Development of basic calculation methods ； Proposition of new concepts and new theories ； Integrated development of high-throughput screening, big data and computational informatics. (3) Preparation of new energy materials: Preparation of functional mesoporous materials ； Preparation of metal nanostructures ； Preparation of two-dimensional semiconductor materials ； Preparation of composite nanostructures. (2) Coal-based polygeneration: Research on energy conversion mechanism of cascade utilization of chemical energy and physical energy in polygeneration system ； Research on coal pyrolysis graded transformation ； Research on coal and biomass gasification polygeneration ； Coal-based polygeneration flexible system (fuel, product) design. (3) Biomass gasification polygeneration: Biomass hydrogen production and liquid fuel synthesis technology ； BGFC-GT integrated technology ； Integration of biomass and natural gas based and complementary polygeneration systems ； Flexible system (fuel, product) design and co-production solution optimization. (4) Heat exchange network: Heat exchange network optimization based on pinch analysis, mathematical programming, artificial intelligence and other technologies ； Heat exchange network optimization based on pinch analysis and mathematical programming ； Integrated design of heat exchange network control and process. (5) Energy Internet: Optimized configuration of different types of energy storage systems ； Optimal design, coordinated dispatch and operation control of the core units of the Energy Internet ； Coupling and connection of multiple types of energy networks ； Research on optimized design and operation plans based on big data mining.

Some are no longer emerging industries, but require in-depth study

There is huge room for development of energy chemistry.