Elektroonikatalitsetel

Elektroonikatalitsetel is a field that studies how catalytic activity and selectivity can be controlled by electronic signals. It sits at the intersection of electrochemistry, catalysis, and nanoelectronics, aiming for real-time tuning of catalytic performance through electronic means.

The core idea is that surface charge, electric fields, and gate effects influence adsorption energies and reaction barriers. Techniques include applying a potential to an electrocatalyst, electrochemical gating with transistor-like configurations, and dynamic switching of catalytic states during operation. This allows the catalyst to be turned on, modulated, or redirected to favor different reaction pathways.

Common platforms involve single-atom catalysts on conductive supports, metal oxides, and two-dimensional materials. Methods used to study and control these systems include potentiostatic or galvanostatic control, impedance spectroscopy, operando spectroscopies, and in situ scanning probe techniques to monitor activity and electronic structure as reactions proceed.

Applications span energy conversion (electrolysis, fuel cells, and carbon dioxide reduction), selective organic transformations, and environmental remediation. The field draws on concepts from electrochemical promotion of catalysis and has advanced with developments in nanomaterials and device integration. Challenges include ensuring stability under operating conditions, achieving scalable and cost-effective implementations, and attaining robust, tunable selectivity across diverse reactions. Related topics include electrocatalysis and dynamic catalysis.