Alexander Kurilovich

Ph.D. thesis: “Oxygen reduction reaction mechanism on metal oxides/carbon composite materials”

Supervisor: Prof. Keith J. Stevenson

IDC committee members: Prof. Artem Abakumov, Prof. Keith J. Stevenson, Prof. Andriy Zhugaevich.

Aleksandr received his master’s degree in the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology & Skoltech double degree program in 2016. His work was mainly dedicated to the ab initio studies of urea electrooxidation reaction on LaNiO3 perovskite surface. At Skoltech Aleksandr focuses on the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) mechanism elucidation using the numerical simulations. Models are based on the microkinetic modeling approach and experimental dataset, which includes, for example, rotation ring-disk electrode experiment (RRDE). Since the ORR is a complex reaction with slow kinetics even on the most active catalysts, this approach should provide an understanding of the factors, which limit the overall reaction rate. These insights are crucial for cost-effective catalyst search. The materials of interest are metal oxides/carbon composite materials.

List of papers:

1. Mefford, J. T., Kurilovich, A. A., Saunders, J., Hardin, W. G., Abakumov, A. M., Forslund, R. P., … & Stevenson, K. J. Decoupling the roles of carbon and metal oxides on the electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen on La 1− x Sr x CoO 3− δ perovskite composite electrodes. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 21(6), 3327-3338 (2019).
2. Nikitina, V. A., Kurilovich, A. A., Bonnefont, A., Ryabova, A. S., Nazmutdinov, R. R., Savinova, E. R., & Tsirlina, G. A. ORR on Simple Manganese Oxides: Molecular-Level Factors Determining Reaction Mechanisms and Electrocatalytic Activity. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 165(15), J3199-J3208 (2018).

List of conferences:

1. Kurilovich, A. A., Keith, K. J. Microkinetic Modelling of the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction on perovskite composite electrodes, poster, III School-Conference of Young Scientists, Russia, 2018