Electrochemical Reactions at the Atomic Level: A Game-Changer

Electrochemical reactions are the backbone of various technologies, including batteries, fuel cells, electrolysis, and solar-powered fuel generation. These reactions also occur naturally in biological processes like photosynthesis and in the Earth’s surface during the formation and breakdown of metal ores. Despite their importance, understanding electrochemical reactions at the atomic level has been a significant challenge. However, a recent breakthrough by a team of scientists has made it possible to study these reactions with unprecedented resolution.

Catalyst materials at the atomic level

The team, led by Haimei Zheng from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has developed a technique that pairs a transmission electron microscope (TEM) with a specially designed cell, known as a polymer liquid cell (PLC). This innovative approach enables scientists to observe electrochemical reactions at the atomic level in real-time, providing valuable insights into the complex phenomena occurring at the solid-liquid interface.

The PLC is a small, enclosed chamber that can hold all the components of an electrochemical reaction. By freezing the reaction at specific timepoints, scientists can use other characterization tools to study the composition changes at each stage of the reaction. This powerful technique has already provided new insights into a popular catalyst material, copper, which can transform atmospheric carbon dioxide molecules into valuable carbon-based chemicals.

“This is a very exciting technical breakthrough that shows something we could not do before is now possible. The liquid cell allows us to see what’s going on at the solid-liquid interface during reactions in real time, which are very complex phenomena.” - Haimei Zheng

Copper catalyst at the atomic level

The scientists used the PLC approach to study the area within the reaction called the solid-liquid interface, where the solid catalyst meets the liquid electrolyte. They observed unexpected transformations at this interface during the reaction, including the formation of an amorphous interphase that is neither solid nor liquid. This discovery has significant implications for catalyst design and could lead to the development of more efficient and durable systems.

“The dynamics of the amorphous interphase could be leveraged in the future to make the catalyst more selective for specific carbon products. Additionally, understanding the interphase will help scientists combat degradation, which occurs on the surface of all catalysts over time, to develop systems with longer operational lifetimes.” - Qiubo Zhang

Amorphous interphase at the solid-liquid interface

The breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the field of electrochemistry and could lead to significant advances in various technologies. As scientists continue to explore the possibilities of this innovative technique, we can expect to see major improvements in the design and performance of catalyst materials.

Electrochemical reactions at the atomic level