Nanostructured materials find wide use in electrochemical systems for energy conversion and catalysis. Fundamental investigations into these systems are often difficult, however, due to their inherently heterogeneous nature. Variations in particle size, shape, ligand coverage, etc. are always present and complicate the interpretation of experimental results. Studies carried out at individual nanostructures, while difficult, can potentially overcome this conceptual drawback, providing clear, detailed relationships between structure and function. While electroanalytical and optical detection schemes have been employed previously to study electrochemical reactions occurring at individual nanostructures, these reported approaches are severely limited by sample throughput and/or assumptions necessary for data analysis. Herein, the application of a combined electrochemical and optical approach to the study of these systems is described. Scanning electrochemical cell microscopy is employed to directly measure the rate of electrochemical reactions at individual nanostructures, while optical spectroscopy is used to probe the geometry of these nanostructures in situ. This complementary approach allows for measurements at individual nanostructures to be carried out with unprecedented throughputs and for structural changes at individual nanostructures to be probed in situ. The application of these methods to the study of electrocatalysis at a variety of Au and Cu nanostructures will be presented, demonstrating the role particle size, shape, and ligand coverage play in electrocatalytic performance.<br/>

Probing electrocatalytic reactions at individual metallic nanostructures via optically enhanced electrochemical methods

2019 Spring National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.