The Theory Department of the Fritz Haber Institute calls attention to catalyst morphology as a key factor in determining what product is being formed during an electrocatalytic reaction. The analysis, published in Nature Catalysis, explores how the ‘roughness’ of a catalyst surface changes the selectivity for a number of technologically important reactions, including the electrochemical conversion of CO2 into fuels and H2O formation in fuel-cells. The results offer a new perspective on how catalyst design could optimize electrochemical processes, while challenging the traditional picture that focuses entirely on the nature of the active site at the atomic level.
