Energy conversion & functional materials

Overview

Study energy materials under real operating conditions

Energy conversion technologies are critical for enabling a sustainable energy future. Whether converting CO₂ into fuels, producing hydrogen, operating solid oxide fuel cells, or developing advanced functional materials, performance ultimately depends on dynamic processes occurring at the nanoscale.

DENSsolutions systems allow researchers to study energy-conversion materials under realistic operating environments, combining temperature control, gas atmospheres, electrical biasing, and advanced microscopy techniques. These capabilities enable direct observation of catalyst restructuring, phase transformations, ionic transport, and interface evolution, providing critical insights for the development of next-generation energy technologies.

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Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy integrated with environmental transmission electron microscopy

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is one of the most powerful techniques for characterizing electrochemical and ionic transport processes in functional materials. This work integrated EIS directly with environmental TEM, enabling researchers to simultaneously correlate electrochemical behavior with nanoscale structural evolution. Using gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC), a key material for solid oxide fuel cells, the study demonstrates how combining electrical characterization and microscopy can reveal mechanisms governing device performance.

Ma, Z. et al.Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Integrated with Environmental Transmission Electron Microscopy.Small Methods 7, 2201713 (2023).

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Control of MXenes' Electronic Properties Through Termination and Intercalation

MXenes are among the most promising emerging materials for energy storage, electronics, sensing, and functional-device applications. This work demonstrated how surface termination chemistry and intercalation can be used to precisely tailor the electronic properties of MXenes. The study provides fundamental design principles for engineering next-generation functional materials with tunable electrical characteristics.

Hart, J.L. et al.Control of MXenes' Electronic Properties Through Termination and Intercalation.Nature Communications 9, 2785 (2018).

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Dynamic Co-Catalysis of Au Single Atoms and Nanoporous Au for Methane Pyrolysis

Methane pyrolysis offers an attractive route for hydrogen production without direct CO₂ emissions. In this work, operando TEM revealed how single gold atoms and nanoporous gold structures work together dynamically during methane conversion. The study demonstrates that catalytic performance emerges from continuously evolving active sites rather than static. catalyst structures

Xi, W. et al.Dynamic Co-Catalysis of Au Single Atoms and Nanoporous Au for Methane Pyrolysis.Nature Communications 11, 1919 (2020).

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Imaging Electrochemically Synthesized Cu₂O Cubes and Their Morphological Evolution Under Conditions Relevant to CO₂ Electroreduction

Copper-based catalysts are among the most promising materials for electrochemical CO₂ reduction because of their ability to generate value-added hydrocarbons and oxygenates. In this study, liquid-phase TEM was used to directly visualize the formation and evolution of Cu₂O nanocubes under electrochemical conditions relevant to CO₂ reduction. The work revealed how catalyst morphology continuously changes during operation, providing important insights into catalyst stability, restructuring, and performance during electrocatalytic reactions.

R.M Arán-Ais. et al.Imaging Electrochemically Synthesized Cu₂O Cubes and Their Morphological Evolution Under Conditions Relevant to CO₂ Electroreduction.Nature Communications 11, 3489 (2020).

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Structural Evolution and Dynamics of an In₂O₃ Catalyst for CO₂ Hydrogenation to Methanol: An Operando XAS-XRD and In Situ TEM Study

Methanol synthesis from CO₂ is considered one of the key technologies for future carbon-neutral chemical production. This work combined operando spectroscopy, diffraction, and in situ TEM to reveal how In₂O₃ catalysts dynamically restructure during methanol synthesis. The study provides important insights into catalyst activation, stability, and the origin of catalytic performance.

Tsoukalou, A. et al.Structural Evolution and Dynamics of an In₂O₃ Catalyst for CO₂ Hydrogenation to Methanol: An Operando XAS-XRD and In Situ TEM Study.JACS 141, 13497–13505 (2019).

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Quasi-in situ 4D-STEM Mapping of Exsolution Driven Parent Matrix Restructuring in Sr₂FeMoO₆-δ

Exsolution materials are attracting increasing attention for applications in solid oxide fuel cells, electrolysis, catalysis, and energy-conversion technologies. This work uses advanced 4D-STEM characterization to investigate how exsolution processes restructure the parent oxide matrix. Understanding these transformations is essential for designing stable and highly active functional materials.

Chakraborty, P. et al.Quasi-in situ 4D-STEM Mapping of Exsolution Driven Parent Matrix Restructuring in Sr₂FeMoO₆-δ.Small Methods (2026, accepted).

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Energy Conversion & Functional Materials

Study energy materials under real operating conditions

Platforms for this research area

Lightning

Climate^∞

Stream^∞

FireBolt

Featured experiments

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy integrated with environmental transmission electron microscopy

Control of MXenes' Electronic Properties Through Termination and Intercalation

Dynamic Co-Catalysis of Au Single Atoms and Nanoporous Au for Methane Pyrolysis

Imaging Electrochemically Synthesized Cu₂O Cubes and Their Morphological Evolution Under Conditions Relevant to CO₂ Electroreduction

Structural Evolution and Dynamics of an In₂O₃ Catalyst for CO₂ Hydrogenation to Methanol: An Operando XAS-XRD and In Situ TEM Study

Quasi-in situ 4D-STEM Mapping of Exsolution Driven Parent Matrix Restructuring in Sr₂FeMoO₆-δ

Advance your energy conversion and functional materials research

Energy Conversion & Functional Materials

Study energy materials under real operating conditions

Platforms for this research area

Lightning

Climate∞

Stream∞

FireBolt

Featured experiments

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy integrated with environmental transmission electron microscopy

Control of MXenes' Electronic Properties Through Termination and Intercalation

Dynamic Co-Catalysis of Au Single Atoms and Nanoporous Au for Methane Pyrolysis

Imaging Electrochemically Synthesized Cu₂O Cubes and Their Morphological Evolution Under Conditions Relevant to CO₂ Electroreduction

Structural Evolution and Dynamics of an In₂O₃ Catalyst for CO₂ Hydrogenation to Methanol: An Operando XAS-XRD and In Situ TEM Study

Quasi-in situ 4D-STEM Mapping of Exsolution Driven Parent Matrix Restructuring in Sr₂FeMoO₆-δ

Advance your energy conversion and functional materials research

Climate^∞

Stream^∞