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• Local Surface Structure and Composition Control the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Iron Nickel Sulfides
In order to design more powerful electrocatalysts, developing our understanding of the role of the surface structure and composition of widely abundant bulk materials is crucial. This is particularly true in the search for alternative hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts to replace platinum. We report scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) measurements of the (111)âcrystal planes of Fe4.5Ni4.5S8, a highly active HER catalyst. In combination with structural characterization methods, we show that this technique can reveal differences in activity arising from even the slightest compositional changes. By probing electrochemical properties at the nanoscale, in conjunction with complementary structural information, novel design principles are revealed for application to rational material synthesis.
• High resolution visualization of the redox activity of Li2O2 in non-aqueous media: conformal layer vs. toroid structure
A strong relationship between the surface structure and the redox activity of Li2O2 is visualized directly using scanning electrochemical cell microscopy, employing a dual-barrel nanopipette containing a unique gel polymer electrolyte. These measurements reveal considerable local heterogeneity with significantly enhanced electrochemical activity at toroidal Li2O2 structures when compared to the conformal layer that is usually formed on the cathode of Li–O2 batteries.
• Scanning electrochemical cell microscopy: New perspectives on electrode processes in action
Scanning electrochemical probe microscopy (SEPM) methods allow interfacial fluxes to be visualized at high spatial resolution and are consequently invaluable for understanding physicochemical processes at electrode/solution interfaces. This article highlights recent progress in scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM), a scanning-droplet-based method that is able to visualize electrode activity free from topographical artefacts and, further, offers considerable versatility in terms of the range of interfaces and environments that can be studied. Advances in the speed and sensitivity of SECCM are highlighted, with applications as diverse as the creation of movies of electrochemical (electrocatalytic) processes in action to tracking the motion and activity of nanoparticles near electrode surfaces.