Soumyajit’s research will focus on understanding the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER), specifically Lattice Oxygen Mediated (LOM) OER. The aim is to identify underlying causes that trigger LOM activation in electrocatalysts and influence the reaction pathway, using ex-situ and operando X-Ray techniques, to provide a route for the rational design of LOM-OER electrocatalysts. LOM electrocatalysts hold the promise of breaking scaling relationships to achieve ultra-low overpotentials for OER, and hence, could be essential for the future of PV-powered alkaline electrolysers.
Soumyajit’s research interests include photoelectrochemical alkaline HER using 2D materials and coupled buried-junction PV-EC electrolysis. He is also interested in electroplating techniques for fabricating contacts for Silicon and perovskite solar cells.
Soumyajit completed his undergrad in Chemical Engineering at the University of Calcutta in India. During his undergrad, he worked on photoelectrochemical water splitting, Dye-Sensitised solar cells, perovskite solar cells and electrocatalytic water splitting at different research institutes, namely, Bose Institute, JU, IIEST and IIT Bombay. After finishing his undergrad in 2020, he took up the role of a research assistant at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) and CSIR-CSIO with an Institute Fellowship, where he worked on 2D materials for photoelectrochemical water splitting and supercapacitors. He also worked on DFT calculations of 2D materials for photocatalysis as a collaboration project with Wuhan University of Technology, China and U-Namur, Belgium. From HT 2023, Soumyajit is pursuing a DPhil with a Clarendon and Trinity Whitehead Scholarship, supervised by Prof. Sebastian Bonilla and Prof. Robert Weatherup.
Apart from research, Soumyajit loves cooking and cannot imagine a life without his kitchen. He has a simple philosophy regarding cooking - Life is short and a day that doesn't end with a delicious meal is a day completely wasted.
Rex Richards Building, Department of Materials,
University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RQ, UK
