Inorganic Chemistry / Metalorganic Chemistry and Inorganic Materials

Electrocatalysis

New strategies are needed to overcome energy crisis and to change the way manknd is storing and using energy, producing and recycling materials In this regard, electrochemistry has recently emerged as a versatile strategy to achieve challenging reactions in modest reaction conditions to overcome the drawbacks of traditional synthesis routes.

Our aim is not only to design and develop new electrode materials but also to understand reaction mechanisms, structure-activity relationships, bulk and surface activity, active sites, and reconstruction processes investigated by state-of-the-art in-situ and ex-situ analytical methods for

• Electrocatalytic production of green hydrogen with a focus on hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and overall water splitting

• Paired electrocatalysis by replacing OER with organic oxidation reaction (OOR) to synthesize chemicals of higher economic value

• Electrochemical reduction of heavy non-metal oxides with very strong E—O bonds (E = Si, P, S)

 

Key references

[1] Hausmann, J. N.; Mebs, S.; Dau, H.; Driess, M.; Menezes, P. W. Oxygen Evolution Activity of Amorphous Cobalt Oxyhydroxides: Interconnecting Precatalyst Reconstruction, Long-Range Order, Buffer-Binding, Morphology, Mass Transport, and Operation Temperature. Adv. Mater. 2022, 2207494 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202207494

[2] Menezes, P. W.; Walter, C.; Chakraborty, B.; Hausmann, J. N.; Zaharieva, I.; Frick, A.; von Hauff, E.; Dau, H.;  Driess, M. Combination of Highly Efficient Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation with Selective Oxygenation of Organic Substrates using Manganese Borophosphates. Adv. Mater. 2021, 33, 2004098 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202004098

[3] Menezes, P. W.; Yao, S.; Beltrán‐Suito, R.; Hausmann, J. N.; Menezes, P. V.; Driess, M. Facile Access to an Active γ-NiOOH Electrocatalyst for Durable Water Oxidation Derived From an Intermetallic Nickel Germanide Precursor. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 4640-4647 https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202014331

[4] Chakraborty, B.; Kostenko, A.; Menezes, P. W.; Driess, M. A Systems Approach to a One-Pot Electrochemical Wittig Olefination Avoiding the Use of Chemical Reductant or Sacrificial Electrode. Eur. J. Chem. 2020, 26, 11829-11834 https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202001654