Quantifying Surface Chemical Intermediates and Interfacial Redox Processes via Combined Raman Spectroscopy and Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy

电极表面的化学反应对于从燃料电池到清洁水的大量应用都是必不可少的。此外，了解这些反应的细节对支持可再生能源技术至关重要。不幸的是，所有这些在电极上的重要反应也显示出广泛的复杂的化学反应途径，这些反应发生在靠近电极表面的非常小的区域。这使得在原子水平上观察和理解这些反应是如何发生的变得非常困难，而这是改进它们的关键。Rodriguez-Lopez教授通过引入一种测量技术来解决这一紧迫的挑战，该技术将激光与非常小的探针结合在一起，以特定的排列方式，用于识别在电极表面形成的化学物质，同时也识别它们参与的反应。通过仔细选择一些关键的电极材料，Rodriguez-Lopez提高了测量极少量加速产品形成的化学物质的能力。这些方法有助于理解燃料电池的催化剂是如何失去活性的，以及金属上的氧原子是如何参与能源技术的关键过程的。该研究计划通过为社区中的西班牙裔儿童提供动手活动来造福社会。先进的电化学科学也教授给不同的学生群体，以确保在科学的最前沿训练的劳动力。凭借这一奖项，化学系资助伊利诺伊大学的Joaquin Rodriguez-Lopez博士研究开发一种用于检查电极表面化学反应的混合显微镜系统。探索界面电催化过程的机制是具有挑战性的，然而，关于反应中间体特性、表面覆盖和反应性的知识对于理解原位方法至关重要。Rodriguez-Lopez博士研究了一种同步的、时空匹配的方法，通过扫描电化学显微镜和拉曼光谱的结合，对电化学界面上的反应性中间体进行原位定量。通过采用不同尺寸的微纳米电极，可以提高该技术的空间分辨率。Rodriguez-Lopez的目标是通过将电极反应性与燃料电池、电解槽和电池以及水修复、电合成和防腐蚀系统中材料的表面性质相关联，帮助解决电催化领域长期存在的挑战。该项目整合了教育和推广计划，让西班牙裔学生参与科学活动，并组织了一个电化学训练营，帮助确保在电化学和测量科学的前沿有多样化的劳动力。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Chemical reactions at electrode surfaces are essential for a large number of applications, which range from powering fuel cells to cleaning water. In addition, understanding the intimate details of those reactions is crucial to bolster renewable energy technologies. Unfortunately, all these important reactions at electrodes also display a broad range of complicated chemical reaction pathways that happen at a very small region close to the surface of the electrodes. This makes it very difficult to observe and understand how these reactions happen at the atomic level, which is key to improving them. Professor Rodriguez-Lopez addresses this pressing challenge by introducing a measurement technique where laser light, in combination with very small probes in a particular arrangement, are used to identify the chemicals formed at the surface of electrodes, while also identifying the reactions in which they participate. By carefully choosing some key electrode materials, Rodriguez-Lopez improves the ability to measure very small amounts of chemicals that speed up the product formation. The methods help understand how a promising catalyst for a fuel cell can lose activity, and how oxygen atoms at metals participate in key processes for energy technologies. The research plan benefits society by including hands-on activities for Hispanic children in the community. Advances electrochemical science is also taught to a diverse group of students to ensure a workforce with training at the forefront of science. With this award, the Division of Chemistry is funding Dr. Joaquin Rodriguez-Lopez at the University of Illinois to study development of a hybrid microscopy system for examination of chemical reactions at electrode surfaces. Exploring the mechanisms of interfacial electrocatalytic processes is challenging, however knowledge about reactive intermediate identity, surface coverage, and reactivity, is critical in understanding in situ approaches. Dr. Rodriguez-Lopez investigates a simultaneous, spatiotemporally matched approach for the in situ quantification of reactive intermediates at electrochemical interfaces through integration of scanning electrochemical microscopy with Raman spectroscopy. The research may improve the spatial resolution of the technique by using micro and nanoelectrodes of different sizes. Rodriguez-Lopez aims to help solve long-standing challenges in electrocatalysis by correlating electrode reactivity to surface properties of materials in fuel cells, electrolyzers, and batteries, as well as in systems for water remediation, electrosynthesis, and corrosion prevention. The project integrates educational and outreach plans that engage students of Hispanic origin in scientific activities, as well as the organization of an electrochemical bootcamp that helps ensure the presence of a diverse workforce at the forefront of electrochemical and measurement science.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.