EPSCoR Research Fellows: NSF: Watching Catalysts in Action to Design Low-Cost Materials for Clean Hydrogen Production from Water

This Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) EPSCoR Research Fellows project provides a fellowship to an Assistant Professor and training for a graduate student at Oklahoma State University. The work will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Daniel Esposito at Columbia University. Through the fellowship, the PI will examine how low-cost catalyst surfaces evolve during water splitting to generate clean hydrogen fuel, aiding the replacement of expensive precious-metal catalysts. The project leverages expertise in chemical engineering, chemistry, and materials science to observe catalyst behavior with advanced operando spectroscopic tools available at the host institution. The acquired skills and knowledge will be brought back to Oklahoma, supporting the development of a new electrochemical research center, providing hands-on electrochemistry for undergraduates and high school students, and fostering partnerships with local industries on issues like clean hydrogen production and the recovery of critical minerals from produced water, thereby enhancing Oklahoma’s energy and agricultural sectors. This project will investigate the dynamic surface reconstruction of copper selenide and zinc selenide heterostructure electrocatalysts during the oxygen evolution reaction, a key bottleneck in water splitting. The central hypothesis is that zinc selenide modulates the in-situ formation, composition, and stability of a copper-oxyhydroxide active surface layer, explaining the improved stability of the heterostructure. Operando Raman spectroscopy and scanning electrochemical microscopy at Columbia University will enable this project to determine the surface reconstruction onset potential and phase identity, identify whether active sites are at heterojunctions or interior sites, and demonstrate how ultrathin oxide overlayers can enhance stability. The work will develop a mechanistic model that shows how less-active components direct surface reconstruction in bimetallic chalcogenide catalysts. The fellowship will enhance faculty and graduate student proficiency in operando characterization, support the creation of an electrochemical energy conversion center at Oklahoma State University, and integrate operando techniques into coursework and research. This project is supported by the EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: EPSCoR Research Fellows (ERF), which supports early- and mid-career investigators in eligible jurisdictions to develop collaborations at the nation’s private, government or academic research institutions. 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.