Revolutionising Sustainable Energy Through Catalytic Innovation

Catalysis can accelerate chemical reactions and plays a key role in producing cleaner and more economical fuels.  On 17 September 2025, Prof. WANG Yong from Washington State University, USA, delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Catalysis: Driving Affordable Clean Energy”.  He shared insights into the potential of advanced catalytic technologies in revolutionising fuel production and reducing emissions.  The lecture attracted over 120 in-person attendees, with more than 17,900 online viewers tuning in via various social media platforms.

At the beginning of his talk, Prof. Wang explained the definition of catalysis: the use of catalysts to lower the activation energy required to initiate a chemical reaction, thereby enabling reactions to proceed more rapidly and efficiently with minimal energy input.  An excellent catalyst must possess high stability to effectively facilitate the interactions among reactants to form products.

Prof. Wang then introduced his team’s research achievements in the field of the Fischer-Tropsch process.  They discovered that this process, developed in the last century, can convert coal, natural gas or biomass into liquid fuels, and that its reaction rate naturally fluctuates between high and low levels.  This intriguing phenomenon may pave the way for more efficient fuel production in the future.

Prof. Wang also discussed how catalytic converters in vehicle exhaust systems use metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium to purify emissions and reduce pollutants.  He pointed out that hydrothermal ageing techniques can be used to stabilise single-atom catalysts and enhance their catalytic activity.

In summary, these studies demonstrate the immense potential of advanced catalytic technologies in revolutionising fuel production and emissions control, laying the foundation for cleaner and more efficient energy systems.

The subsequent question-and-answer session was chaired by Prof. WANG Lianzhou, Chair Professor of Energy Materials in the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology.  Both in-person and online audiences engaged in fruitful exchanges and discussions with the two professors.