Group Biography

The industrial evolution since the 19th century has led us to technological breakthrough but also brought environmental issues such as the excessive emission of carbon dioxide. Renewable electricity, from solar panels or wind turbos, could be used as alternative energy source. The intermittency nature of these renewable energy calls for the development of new technologies for energy storage, such as electrochemical energy storage. 

 

The scenario of building renewable energy systems based on electrochemistry (De Luna et al., Science 364, 350)

 

The group of electrochemistry and Raman spectroscopy (GEARS), led by Dr. Dan Ren in Xi'an Jiaotong University, aims at pushing the boundaries of our understanding on the electrochemical process as well as resolving technological problems related to electrochemical engineering. The major research interest is to develop efficient systems for electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals. The group is especially interested in investigating the dynamic electrochemical process at the catalytic interfaces by employing multiple in situ techniques for probing the interface. 

 

The group is also working on other electrochemistry processes such as water splitting and cycles of nitrogen-based ions.  

Meet the PI

 

Employment

Since Jan.2024, Professor, Xi'an Jiaotong University

Jan.2022-Dec.2023, Associate Professor, Xi'an Jiaotong University

Jan.2018-Dec.2021, Postdoc Fellow, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

 

Education

Jul.2013-Dec.2017, Ph.D., National University of Singapore

Sep.2009-Jun.2013, B.Eng., Shanghai Jiao Tong University

 

Mailing address:

#3212, Hongrun Building, iHarbour, Xi'an 712000

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Email: 

dan.ren@xjtu.edu.cn

 

Personal identifiers:

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3738-6421

Researcher ID: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/L-4047-2016

We are hiring

The group now has several positions available:

 

1. Graduate student

Requirement: 1) team player, 2) bachelor’s degree or bachelor student in his/her final year, 3) strong interest in research, especially in electrochemistry.

For international students, please see the link for available scholarships and application procedure (http://sie.xjtu.edu.cn/en/PG2022EN.pdf).

2. Undergraduate researcher

Interest in electrochemistry-related research is the only requirement.

Interested candidates are encouraged to contact the principal investigator via email: dan.ren@xjtu.edu.cn   

Grants

​At XJTU:

  • Young Talent Support Plan (Phase 2), Xi’an Jiaotong University, CNY 1,000,000 (01/2024-12/2029)
  • NSFC Excellent Young Scholars (Overseas), National Science Foundation of China, CNY 1,000,000 (12/2023-12/2026)
  • Fundamental Research Funding for Central Universities, Xi’an Jiaotong University, CNY 80,000 (07/2022-06/2024)
  • Qin Chuangyuan Talent Programme, Shaanxi Provincial Department of Science & Technology, CNY 370,000 (07/2022-06/2025)
  • Public Research Funding, Key Laboratory of AEMC (MOE), CNY 30,000 (06/2022-05/2024)
  • Young Talent Support Plan B, Xi’an Jiaotong University, CNY 1,000,000 (01/2022-12/2027)

Before XJTU:

  • Solar-Bio Fuels Grant, Gebert Ruf Stiftung, CHF 287,000 (03/2020-11/2022)

Selected Publications

  • Meng Xia, Linfeng Pan, Yongpeng Liu, Jing Gao, Jun Li, Mounir Mensi, Kevin Sivula, Shaik M. Zakeeruddin, Dan Ren* & Michael Grätzel*. Efficient Cu2O Photocathode for Aqueous Photoelectrochemical CO2 Reduction to Formate and Syngas. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 27939.
  • Jing Gao, Alimohammad Bahmanpour, Oliver Krocher, Shaik M. Zakeeruddin, Dan Ren* & Michael Grätzel*. Electrochemical Synthesis of Propylene from Carbon Dioxide on Copper Nanocrystals. Nat. Chem. 2023, 705.
  • Honglei Wang, Yunfei Jiao, Bing Wu, Dong Wang*, Yueqi Hu, Fei Liang, Chen Shen*, Andrea Knauer, Dan Ren*, Hongguang Wang*, Peter A van Aken, Hongbin Zhang, Michael Grätzel, Zdenek Sofer & Peter Schaaf. Exfoliated 2D Layered and Nonlayered Metal Phosphorous Trichalcogenides Nanosheets as Promising Electrocatalysts for CO2 Reduction. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, e202217253
  • Jing Gao*, Jun Li, Yuhang Liu, Meng Xia, Y. Zou Finfrock, Shaik M. Zakeeruddin, Dan Ren* & Michael Grätzel*. Solar Reduction of Carbon Dioxide on Copper-tin Electrocatalysts with Energy Conversion Efficiency near 20%. Nat. Commun. 2022, 5898
  • Jing Gao, Hong Zhang, Xueyi Guo, Jingshan Luo, Shaik M. Zakeeruddin, Dan Ren* & Michael Grätzel*. Selective C-C Coupling via Efficient Spillover of Intermediates as Supported by Operando Raman spectroscopy. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 18704
  • Dan Ren, Jing Gao, Linfeng Pan, Zaiwei Wang, Jingshan Luo, Shaik M. Zakeeruddin, Anders Hagfeldt & Michael Grätzel*. Atomic Layer Deposition of ZnO on CuO Enables Selective and Efficient Electroreduction of Carbon Dioxide to Liquid Fuels. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 15036
  • Dan Ren, Jinhuan Fong & Boon Siang Yeo*. The Effects of Currents and Potentials on the Selectivities of Copper Toward Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction. Nat. Commun. 2018, 925

 

 

For full publication list, please redirect here.

Glance at the Lab