Yu Shan is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, advised by Professor Peidong Yang. He earned his B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he investigated the mechanism of CO oxidation on Ru using time-dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT).
Yu's doctoral research focuses on understanding the microenvironment of carbon dioxide electrocatalysis. Specifically, he employs state-of-the-art in situ and operando vibrational and electronic spectroscopic techniques to probe the catalyst-electrolyte interface with high spatial resolution and chemical sensitivity. The molecular-level insights gained from his research can potentially inform the design of next-generation electrocatalysts with enhanced activity and selectivity for CO₂ reduction.
As a Kavli ENSI fellow, Yu will leverage Surface-Enhanced Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy (SEIRAS) to investigate reaction intermediates on nanocatalysts, providing critical insights into C–C coupling mechanisms, reaction kinetics, and the electric double-layer (EDL) structure. For spatially heterogeneous chemical processes, he will employ infrared nanospectroscopy (nano-FTIR) to achieve nanometer-resolved molecular characterization. Additionally, he will use in situ X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) to probe cation solvation structures in the EDL, a key factor influencing CO₂ reduction. By integrating these three complementary techniques, Yu aims to comprehensively map microenvironmental interactions at the molecular and nanoscale, elucidating the configurational, electronic, and coordination landscapes that govern catalytic performance.