The electrode-electrolyte interface in CO2 reduction and H2 evolution: a multiscale approach

Cecilio de Oliveira Monteiro, M (2022)

Doctoral Thesis

Electrocatalysis allows for storing electricity or converting it into chemical bonds, producing chemical building blocks and fuels using renewable resources. Therefore, it plays an important role in the transition towards a more sustainable future for our society through electrification. Still, to bring electrochemical technologies to industrial scale and make them competitive, optimization of various aspects of electrocatalytic reactions are needed. Many fundamental studies focus on understanding the catalyst surface, however, different components of the electrolyte, as pH and cations, have also shown to significantly affect the reaction activity and selectivity. In view of that, in this thesis, various aspects of the electrode-electrolyte interface are studied at different scales, using Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM), stationary and rotating-disc electrode voltammetry techniques, and bulk electrolysis.

• Electrocatalysis
• CO2 electroreduction
• Hydrogen evolution
• Metal cations
• Local pH
• Scanning electrochemical microscopy
• Rotating ring-disc electrode
• CO2 electrolysis
• Cyclic voltammetry
• Cation acidity

• All authors: Cecilio de Oliveira Monteiro, M
• Supervisor: Koper, M.T.M.
• Co-supervisor: López, N.
• Committee: Hetterscheid, D.G.H.; Overkleeft, H.S.; Bouwman, E.; Unwin, P.R.; Cuesta Ciscar, A.
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC), Faculty of Science, Leiden University
• Date: 2022-02-15
• ISBN (print): 9789464236286
• Sponsorship: The work presented in this thesis was supported by the European Commission, as part of the Marie Skłodowska Curie Innovative Training Network ELCoREL-722614