Department Materials Chemistry for Catalysis

Department Materials Chemistry for Catalysis

Research Overview

The Materials Chemistry for Catalysis Laboratory focuses on the discovery and design of new materials for the electrocatalytic formation of fuels (e.g., green hydrogen or hydrocarbons) and industrially-relevant chemicals (e.g., polymer precursors) using only sustainable resources (e.g., water, lignin, monomers from plastic recycling) and renewable electricity.  
We design materials across multiple length scales from bulk intermetallic compounds to nanostructured alloys, high-entropy materials, oxides, phosphides, nitrides, borophosphates, and single-atom catalysts using a variety of synthesis approaches such as wet-chemical reduction, hydrothermal, electrodeposition, thermal conversion, and thin-film deposition. These approaches allow us to tailor composition, structure, and surface chemistry to uncover how each parameter influences catalytic performance under academic and industrially relevant testing conditions.
In addition to making new highly active materials for sustainable electrocatalytic applications, we seek to understand why catalysts behave the way they do. Using advanced operando and in-situ tools such as X-ray absorption spectroscopy, Raman, infrared, and electron microscopy, we observe catalysts in action, capturing the evolution of active sites, oxidation states, and reaction intermediates under realistic working conditions. This fundamental understanding helps us connect atomic-scale processes to macroscopic performance.
Through this integrated approach, we address key electrochemical reactions including green hydrogen generation from water splitting, carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction to valuable fuels and chemicals, and selective oxidation of biomass- and plastic-derived molecules. Our goal is to build a scientific foundation that guides the rational design of next-generation catalytic materials, paving the way toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy and chemical future.