Publication date: 28th August 2024
The electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 (CO2RR) into valuable base chemicals and fuels is a very complex reaction that depends on the intimate relation between catalyst structure and external reaction conditions. Despite considerable progress over the past few years, it is evident that the precise identification of the active sites of the electrocatalyst under operation remains a challenge, which hinders the rational design and industrial application of advanced electrocatalysts for eCO2RR. For this purpose, in situ characterization techniques are required that probe the catalyst structure, from bulk to surface, with improved time and space resolution.
In this presentation, I will discuss how we deploy in situ time-resolved Raman spectroscopy (TR-SERS), in situ fluorescence and advanced in situ synchrotron-based X-ray scattering and spectroscopy techniques to investigate the electrocatalytic activation of CO2 and the dynamic chemical structure of the electrode surface at the electrode-electrolyte interface.