Interface-sensitive Spectroscopy of Atomically-defined Solid/Liquid Interfaces Under Operating Conditions

Project Information

Interfaces at Work

Grant agreement ID: 101040669

DOI

10.3030/101040669

EC signature date 27 January 2022

Start date 1 May 2022

End date 30 April 2027

Funded under

• European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

€ 1 500 000,00

EU contribution

€ 1 500 000,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITEIT TWENTE
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Interfaces at Work (Interface-sensitive Spectroscopy of Atomically-defined Solid/Liquid Interfaces Under Operating Conditions)

Reporting period: 2022-05-01 to 2024-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The “Interfaces at Work” project, funded by the European Research Council, aims to drive sustainable energy solutions through fundamental research. By studying solid/liquid interfaces at the atomic level, particularly in electrocatalysts and pseudocapacitors, this project seeks to improve energy conversion and storage technologies. The innovation lies in "operando spectroscopy," which characterizes materials during chemical reactions. This technique is essential because catalyst properties are dynamic and change under reaction conditions. Understanding these changes can revolutionize the design of high-performance materials by providing more informative property-performance relationships: instead of investigating “dead” catalysts before or after use, we will measure and understand their properties while they are “alive”—while they enable a chemical reaction. The knowledge generated may enhance energy efficiency and contribute to a cleaner future by reducing carbon emissions in next-generation energy storage and conversion applications.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The “Interfaces at Work” project has made considerable progress in exploring atomic-level structure-function relationships in electrocatalysts and pseudocapacitors. The team has studied a new class of electrocatalysts, High Entropy Oxides (HEOs), which show promising results in oxygen evolution reactions, crucial for hydrogen generation. This breakthrough is part of our broader effort to optimize model electrocatalysts for energy conversion and storage applications. To this end, we use catalyst surfaces that resemble single-crystals and therefore have a “perfect” interface with the liquid electrolyte.
We have also developed innovative methodologies for operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These techniques now enable us to study these model-like materials under operating conditions, providing valuable insights into their atomic and electronic structures during electrochemical reactions. That means we can track how the “perfect but inactive” surface transforms into the active catalyst surface that actually enables the chemical reaction.
For this, we rely on measurements at international research facilities called synchrotrons, but we are also establishing such measurements in our own laboratory. While considerable progress has been made, the development and application of these methodologies remain a key focus.
Our work is not only advancing the project’s goals but also contributing to the broader scientific understanding of solid/liquid interfaces in energy technologies. We are excited to continue our research and share our findings with the scientific community.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The “Interfaces at Work” project has delivered results that advance current materials science for electrocatalytic energy conversion. The understanding of the new catalyst materials class High Entropy Oxides (HEOs) with superior electrocatalytic activity represents a breakthrough. It offers a new direction for developing efficient and earth-abundant electrocatalysts based on new materials with a complex composition where individual elements act together as a whole to enhance the overall performance. Additionally, the project's operando characterization tools mark a leap forward, enabling the study of our special materials in action. This advancement is expected to have a broad and transformative impact on the field, enhancing our understanding and capabilities in energy conversion and storage technologies.