Research

Three broad topics form the foundation of this research program, which are summarized below and in the following short video on youtube:

Solar Reactors & Electrochemical Cells

(Photo)electrocatalytic materials

In-situ Analytical Tools

Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of photoelectrochemical (PEC) and photovoltaic (PV) electrolysis devices, the strengths of this research program are at the intersections of chemical engineering, electrochemistry, electroanalytical chemistry, catalysis, materials science, and interfacial science and engineering. Importantly, most of our research projects rely on the use of in situ analytical techniques that are used to evaluate the properties and performance of materials and devices with high spatial resolution. In other words, we rely on advanced measurement tools that can “see”, at very small length scales, how these materials and devices perform while they are operating in a (photo)electrochemical environment that mimics that encountered in real-world applications.  Analytical tools commonly used in our lab include a high speed video camera, in situ spectroelectrochemistry, and scanning probe microscopies (SPM). By pushing the limits of what these tools can teach us, we seek to answer fundamental questions in (photo)catalytic, photovoltaic, and electrochemical science, and apply that knowledge gained at small length scales to guide the design of new electrode architectures and (photo)electrochemical devices.