Electrocatalysis as the Nexus for Sustainable Renewable Energy: The Gordian Knot of Activity, Stability, and Selectivity.

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl

Analytical Chemistry-Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätstr. 150, 44780, Bochum, Germany.

Published: September 2020

The use of renewable energy by means of electrochemical techniques by converting H O, CO and N into chemical energy sources and raw materials, is the basis for securing a future sustainable "green" energy supply. Some weaknesses and inconsistencies in the practice of determining the electrocatalytic performance, which prevents a rational bottom-up catalyst design, are discussed. Large discrepancies in material properties as well as in electrocatalytic activity and stability become obvious when materials are tested under the conditions of their intended use as opposed to the usual laboratory conditions. They advocate for uniform activity/stability correlations under application-relevant conditions, and the need for a clear representation of electrocatalytic performance by contextualization in terms of functional investigation or progress towards application is emphasized.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7496542PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.202007672DOI Listing

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