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The electrochemical behaviour observed during water reduction and oxidation is considerably more complex under mild pH than under strongly acidic or alkaline conditions. This Analysis explains the origins of this behaviour and presents its implications for aqueous electrocatalysis.
Monitoring the temperature of a catalyst’s active site during reactions can offer important insights into reactivity, but broadly applicable methods are lacking. Here the authors evaluate the potential of extended X-ray absorption fine-structure thermometry to observe variations in the temperature of nickel nanoparticles throughout representative gas–solid reactions.
Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction powered by renewable electricity is a promising technology for sustainable fuel and chemical production but accurate and reproducible analytical methods are required to advance the basic and applied science. Here a comprehensive analytical system is designed to capture numerous operating parameters in real time with automated and standardized data analysis.
Mesoscopic mass transport is often ignored but it can influence electrocatalytic processes. This Analysis introduces a simple multi-scale model that couples diffusion to electrochemical surface kinetics and shows how mesoscopic mass transport determines product selectivity through catalyst morphology.
The electrochemical synthesis of organic acids is often performed in alkaline electrolytes. This Analysis presents a techno-economic analysis highlighting the challenges involved in using such electrolytes for downstream product separation and electrolyte recovery.
Plasmonic photocatalysis presents opportunities for efficient utilization of sunlight for chemical transformations, yet its mechanisms, including the relative contribution of thermal and non-thermal effects, remain controversial. Here the authors develop methodology to monitor both effects and propose a metric, overall light effectiveness, to evaluate and maximize the total light-driven enhancement.
Reforming of methane with H2S bears a potential for the practical generation of hydrogen from sour natural gas but remains underutilized. Here the authors analyse the reactivity of metal oxides of group 4–6 elements, which are commonly regarded as inert supports for methane activation, and highlight the substantial reactivity of these material ascribed to highly dynamic cation-bound sulfur species.
The development of platinum group metal-free catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction is central to the implementation of fuel cell technology. Here the authors introduce and analyse a dedicated protocol for platinum group metal-free oxygen reduction reaction catalysts to assess their activity and durability under relevant working conditions.
Catalyst development in academia focuses on performance metrics, giving only secondary attention to costs despite their relevance for commercialization. Here, the authors analyse the properties of a handy and free cost estimation tool that can inform the early stages of catalysis research.
The electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction has recently attracted significant interest, but the true source of ammonia formation remains sometimes unclear. This Analysis reports a systematic investigation of the presence of nitrogen-containing species in a number of commercial catalysts, revealing substantial levels of NOx− and nitrides impurities for some of them.
