X-rays and DFT Cross-examine Fuel Cell Catalysts

Program Description

Electrochemistry could provide building blocks for a sustainable infrastructure, such as fuel cells and (photo-)electrochemical fuel production. Further development of these still-immature technologies requires a better understanding of structure and bonding at electrochemical interfaces. The related experimental challenges will be briefly introduced. Recent progress of in situ X-ray spectroscopy at SSRL will be presented using the example of the oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. Joint efforts between experiments using model catalysts with well-defined structures at SSRL, and density-functional theory calculations at SUNCAT, have led to the discovery of a new design principle for highly efficient electrocatalyst materials.