Radoslav Adzic Elected a Fellow of The Electrochemical Society
October 25, 2005
UPTON, NY - Radoslav Adzic, a senior chemist at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, has been named a Fellow of The Electrochemical Society, a 103-year-old professional organization with 8,000 members in over 75 countries. No more than three percent of members are given the distinction of Fellow. Adzic is among 13 Fellows named in 2005.
Adzic was cited "For his outstanding contributions to fundamental aspects of electrocatalysis, underpotential deposition, and single crystal electrochemistry."
"I am honored to be elected a Fellow of The Electrochemical Society," said Adzic. "I've worked in the field of electrochemistry for my entire career, and I am gratified that my research has been recognized in this way, and, in particular, that the recent research at Brookhaven, which has the potential to make fuel cells more economical, has been noticed."
Funded by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Adzic studies the correlation between structure and function at electrochemical surfaces using several techniques, including x-ray techniques at Brookhaven's National Synchrotron Light Source. Recently, Adzic has focused on fuel-cell electrocatalysis, making efficient catalysts that may be used to convert hydrogen to electricity in fuel cells for electric vehicles. He also studies single crystals of materials in order to understand their structure. This basic structural knowledge of materials enables Adzic to use a process called adsorption, in which he deposits ultra-thin layers of metals onto metallic substrates, with the goal of changing the materials' chemical reaction rates in order to make more efficient electrocatalysts.
In fact, Adzic has made a significant breakthrough in fuel-cell electrocatalysis by designing the first platinum monolayer fuel-cell anode electrocatalyst. This novel catalyst consists of ruthenium nanoparticles with a submonolayer of platinum. This new electrocatalyst has the potential to reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of fuel cells in electric vehicles, among other applications. He used this concept to design a platinum monolayer cathode electrocatalyst, which contains several times less platinum than commercial electrocatalysts.
Adzic earned a B.S. in chemical technology, in 1965, at the University of Belgrade, where he also earned his doctorate in chemistry, in 1974. Adzic remained at the university, eventually becoming a professor and Director of the Institute of Electrochemistry. In 1979, he came to Brookhaven as a visiting scientist, and in 1992, he joined the Laboratory as a senior research associate, rising to the position of chemist in 2001, and senior chemist in 2005.
Adzic's honors include election as correspondent member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts in 1993, and winning the Annual Award of Belgrade for Natural Sciences in 1983, the Medal of the Serbian Chemical Society in 1997, and Brookhaven Lab's Science and Technology Award in 2005.
2005-10388 | INT/EXT | Newsroom
