Electrocatalysis & electrochemical activation of small molecules (e.g. COx, CxHy, H2O)
Electrocatalytic reactions and catalytic materials
In situ and operando characterizations
Multiscale & multiphysics modeling
2021/01–present: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, Full Professor
2019/09–2021/01: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, Associate Professor
2018/09–2019/08: Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Germany, Postdoctoral Researcher, Advisor: Prof. Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
2015/09–2018/08: Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, Postdoctoral Researcher, Advisor: Prof. Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
2009/09–2015/05: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, Ph.D, Physical Chemistry, Advisors: Profs. Xinhe Bao & Guoxiong Wang
2005/09–2009/07: China University of Petroleum (East China), B.Sc., Materials Chemistry
Liao Ning Revitalization Talents Program (2023)
Zhang Dayu Youth Scholar of Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (2021)
Overseas Young Talents Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (2020)
Overseas Young Talents Program of China (2020)
[1] Y. Wang, S. Wang, Y. F. Fu, J. Q. Sang, P. F. Wei, R. T. Li, D. F. Gao*, G. X. Wang*, X. H. Bao, Ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate using a stable amorphous/crystalline dual-phase Cu catalyst, Nat. Commun. 2025, in press.
[2] H. F. Li, P. F. Wei, T. F. Liu, M. R. Li, C. Wang, R. T. Li, J. Y. Ye, Z.-Y. Zhou, S.-G. Sun, Q. Fu, D. F. Gao*, G. X. Wang*, X. H. Bao, CO electrolysis to multicarbon products over grain boundary-rich Cu nanoparticles in membrane electrode assembly electrolyzers, Nat. Commun. 2024, 15, 4603.
[3] H. Y. Wang, S. Wang, Y. P. Song, Y. Zhao, Z. Y. Li, Y. X. Shen, Z. Q. Peng, D. F. Gao*, G. X. Wang*, X. H. Bao, Boosting electrocatalytic ethylene epoxidation by single atom modulation, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202402950.
[4] Y. W. Rong, X. H. Guo, G. H. Zhang, J. Q. Sang, H. F. Li, D. F. Gao*, G. X. Wang, Interparticle distance matters for selectivity control in industrially relevant CO electrolysis, ACS Energy Lett. 2024, 9, 3204–3211.
[5] B. Y. Chen, R. W. Rong, X. Li, J. Q. Sang, P. F. Wei, Q. D. An*, D. F. Gao*, G. X. Wang, Molecular enhancement of direct electrolysis of dilute CO2, ACS Energy Lett. 2024, 9, 911–918.
[6] P. F. Wei#, D. F. Gao#, T. F. Liu#, H. F. Li, J. Q. Sang, C. Wang, R. Cai, G. X. Wang*, X. H. Bao*, Coverage-driven selectivity switch from ethylene to acetate in high-rate CO2/CO electrolysis, Nat. Nanotechnol. 2023, 18, 299–306.
[7] Y. W. Rong, T. F. Liu, J. Q. Sang, R. T. Li, P. F. Wei, H. F. Li, A. Y. Dong, L. Che, Q. Fu, D. F. Gao*, G. X. Wang, Directing the selectivity of CO electrolysis to acetate by constructing metal-organic interfaces, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, 62, e202309893.
[8] H. F. Li, H. B. Li, P. F. Wei, Y. Wang, Y. P. Zang, D. F. Gao*, G. X. Wang*, X. H. Bao*, Tailoring acidic microenvironments for carbon-efficient CO2 electrolysis over a Ni–N–C catalyst in a membrane electrode assembly electrolyzer, Energy Environ. Sci. 2023, 16, 1502–1510.
[9] P. F. Wei, H. F. Li, R. T. Li, Y. Wang, T. F. Liu, R. Cai, D. F. Gao*, G. X. Wang*, X. H. Bao, The role of interfacial water in CO2 electrolysis over Ni-N-C catalyst in a membrane electrode assembly electrolyzer, Small 2023, 19, 2300856.
[10] H. F. Li, T. F. Liu, P. F. Wei, L. Lin, D. F. Gao*, G. X. Wang*, X. H. Bao, High-rate CO2 electroreduction to C2+ products over a copper-copper iodide catalyst, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 14329–14333.
[11] D. F. Gao*, T. F. Liu, G. X. Wang*, X. H. Bao, Structure sensitivity in single-atom catalysis toward CO2 electroreduction, ACS Energy Lett. 2021, 6, 713–727.
[12] P. F. Wei, H. F. Li, L. Lin, D. F. Gao*, X. M. Zhang, H. M. Gong, G. Y. Qing, R. Cai, G. X. Wang*, X. H. Bao, CO2 electrolysis at industrial current densities using anion exchange membrane based electrolyzers, Sci. China Chem. 2020, 63, 1711–1715.
[13] D. F. Gao, R. M. Aran-Ais, H. S. Jeon, B. Roldan Cuenya*, Rational catalyst and electrolyte design for CO2 electroreduction towards multicarbon products, Nat. Catal. 2019, 2, 198–210.
[14] D. F. Gao, I. Sinev, F. Scholten, R. M. Aran-Ais, N. J. Divins, K. Kvashnina, J. Timoshenko, B. Roldan Cuenya*, Selective CO2 electroreduction to ethylene and multicarbon alcohols via electrolyte-driven nanostructuring, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 17047–17053.
[15] P. Grosse#, D. F. Gao#, I. Sinev, H. Mistry, F. Scholten, B. Roldan Cuenya*, Dynamic changes in the structure, chemical state and catalytic selectivity of Cu nanocubes during CO2 electroreduction: size and support effects, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 6192–6197.
[16] D. F. Gao, I. T. McCrum, S. Deo, Y.-W. Choi, F. Scholten, W. M. Wan, J. G. Chen, M. J. Janik*, B. Roldan Cuenya*, Activity and selectivity control in CO2 electroreduction to multicarbon products over CuOx catalysts via electrolyte design, ACS Catal. 2018, 8, 10012–10020.
[17] R. M. Aran-Ais#, D. F. Gao#, B. Roldan Cuenya*, Structure- and electrolyte-sensitivity in CO2 electroreduction, Acc. Chem. Res. 2018, 51, 2906–2917.
[18] D. F. Gao, H. Zhou, F. Cai, J. G. Wang, G. X. Wang*, X. H. Bao*, Pd-containing nanostructures for electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction, ACS Catal. 2018, 8, 1510–1519.
[19] D. F. Gao#, Y. Zhang#, Z. W. Zhou#, F. Cai, X. F. Zhao, W. G. Huang, Y. S. Li, J. F. Zhu, P. Liu, F. Yang*, G. X. Wang*, X. H. Bao*, Enhancing CO2 electroreduction with the metal-oxide interface, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 5652–5655.
[20] D. F. Gao#, I. Zegkinoglou#, N. J. Divins, F. Scholten, I. Sinev, P. Grosse, B. Roldan Cuenya*, Plasma-activated copper nanocube catalysts for efficient carbon dioxide electroreduction to hydrocarbons and alcohols, ACS Nano 2017, 11, 4825–4831.
[21] D. F. Gao, F. Scholten, B. Roldan Cuenya*, Improved CO2 electroreduction performance on plasma-activated Cu catalysts via electrolyte design: halide effect, ACS Catal. 2017, 7, 5112–5120.
[22] D. F. Gao#, H. Zhou#, J. Wang, S. Miao, F. Yang, G. X. Wang*, J. G. Wang*, X. H. Bao, Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 over Pd nanoparticles, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 4288–4291.