Electrocatalytic transformations not only require electrical energy – they also need a reliable middleman to spark the desired chemical reaction.
Electrocatalytic transformations not only require electrical energy – they also need a reliable middleman to spark the desired chemical reaction.
Surface metal-hydrogen intermediates can effectively produce value-added chemicals and energy conversion, but, given their low concentration and fleeting lifespan, they are difficult to characterize or study in depth, especially at the nanoscale.
Now, Cornell researchers have used single-molecule super-resolution reaction imaging to gain a clearer view of what happens, and where, in surface metal-hydrogen intermediates – insights that could help boost hydrogen production and decontamination of aqueous pollutants.
The research was published Oct. 27 in Nature Catalysis. The paper’s lead author is former postdoctoral researcher Wenjie Li. The project was led by Peng Chen, the Peter J.W. Debye Professor of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Read More: Cornell University
