Imaging nanobubble nucleation and hydrogen spillover during electrocatalytic water splitting

Abstract

Significance Due to the highly dynamic nature and intrinsic heterogeneity of the electrochemical interface, it is critical to develop new tools so that electrochemical activities can be imaged with high sensitivity and high spatial and temporal resolution. We demonstrate the unique ability to image nucleation and growth of individual hydrogen nanobubbles during electrocatalytic water splitting using superresolution fluorescence microscopy. This method allows us to compare electrocatalytic activity of different electrode materials toward hydrogen evolution reaction and observe in real time the effect of hydrogen spillover from electrode-supported gold nanocatalysts.