Our Research
Electrochemical technologies offer a powerful pathway toward a low-carbon and circular energy future. By using renewable electricity to drive chemical reactions, they can enable the sustainable production of fuels and value-added chemicals while reducing dependence on fossil resources. Our research focuses on the design, synthesis, activation, and mechanistic understanding of electrocatalytic materials and electrochemical systems. We explore the relationships among material composition, electronic structure, surface reconstruction, reaction intermediates, and catalytic performance.
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Our current research directions include:
ā” Green Hydrogen and Water Electrolysis
We develop efficient and earth-abundant electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Our work seeks to improve catalytic activity, durability, and energy efficiency while understanding how catalyst surfaces transform under operating conditions.
š§Ŗ Electrocatalytic Energy Conversion
We investigate electrochemical reactions relevant to sustainable energy and chemical production, including the oxidation and conversion of small molecules and renewable feedstocks. These studies aim to establish fundamental structure–activity relationships while identifying new opportunities for energy-efficient chemical transformations.
š§ Selective Water Oxidation and Hydrogen Peroxide Production
We explore the two-electron water oxidation reaction (2eā» WOR) as a sustainable route for the decentralized production of hydrogen peroxide. Our research focuses on catalyst selectivity, reaction pathways, electrolyte effects, and reactor-level strategies to minimize product loss through further oxidation or decomposition.
š Advanced Materials for Energy Storage
We design and study functional materials for electrochemical energy-storage applications. By understanding charge-transfer processes, ion transport, interfacial phenomena, and structural evolution, we aim to develop materials with improved performance and long-term stability.
š§± High-Entropy and Compositionally Complex Materials
We investigate high-entropy alloys and compositionally complex materials as versatile electrocatalytic platforms. Their multicomponent nature provides a broad chemical design space for tuning electronic structure, adsorption energetics, surface reconstruction, and catalytic functionality.
ā»ļø Sustainable and Resource-Efficient Electrochemistry
We explore pathways that connect electrochemical energy conversion with sustainability and circularity. This includes the use of abundant materials, unconventional feedstocks, industrial by-products, and resource-efficient electrode architectures to develop technologies that are both scientifically robust and practically relevant.