Lecture
Van Marum Colloquium: Understanding Structure and Function in Molecular and Material Metal Oxides
- Dr. Sam Veroneau (University of Pennsylvania)
- Date
- Wednesday 13 May 2026
- Time
- Location
-
Gorlaeus Building
Einsteinweg 55
2333 CC Leiden - Room
- BM.1.33
Abstract
The function of electrocatalysts is governed by their structure. This principle applies to molecules and materials alike—and informs how catalysts are designed, understood, and applied. This talk will focus on metal oxide electrocatalysts and how subtle changes in their atomic and nanoscale structures can dramatically affect their function. In the first part of this talk, we will consider molecular electrocatalysts composed of earth-abundant transition metals. These complexes are redox-active and uniquely competent for electrochemical CO2 capture. By varying their composition with different metals (i.e., Ti, V) and chalcogenides (i.e., O, S, Se, Te) we are able to extract how their electronic and geometric structure affects this function. In the second part of this talk, we will discuss material electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). These electrocatalysts are similarly constructed around earth-abundant transition metals (i.e., Co, Ni) but lack a defined atomic or molecular structure. Instead, structure at the nanoscale controls their reactivity. We will explore how structure at this scale can both inhibit reactivity by preventing mass transport as well as promote reactivity in unique nanoscale domains.