Preface

Over the past decade, electrocatalysis scientists have been at the forefront in addressing various challenges in climate change, pollution, and sustainable energy. Electrocatalysis is instrumental for addressing global challenges in energy and the environment at a high level. Electrocatalysts are the type of catalysts that are used in electrochemical processes/electrocatalysis.

This book discusses electrocatalysis and electrocatalysts for energy, water electrolysis, water treatment, CO2 conversion, and green chemistry. It reviews various electrocatalysts and their characterization, properties, and electrochemical performances.

The first section of the book covers topics in direct alcohol fuel cells including Pt-based electrocatalysts as non-carbon electrode support materials and the development of electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells.

The second section of the book covers various topics in electrocatalysis and electrocatalysts for a cleaner environment. Chapters address such topics as electrocatalysts for the conversion of CO2 to valuable products and SYNGAS, electrocatalysts for water electrolysis, functionalization of C-H groups through electrocatalysis processes that offer green chemistry and possibility of scale-up with improved reaction times, kinetics and yields, and the characterization, properties and electrochemical performances of photocatalysts in electrochemical processes.

> **Lindiwe Eudora Khotseng** Department of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
