Center for Hybrid Approaches in Solar Energy to Liquid Fuels (CHASE)

The Atkin Lab is part of the Center for Hybrid Approaches in Solar Energy to Liquid Fuels (CHASE), which is a Department of Energy Fuels from Sunlight Hub. CHASE’s mission is to develop molecule/material (hybrid) photoelectrodes for cooperative sunlight-driven generation of liquid fuels from feedstocks found in air: CO2 and H2O. The Center is pursuing these goals through three interconnected Thrust areas: Thrust I: Catalyst-Semiconductor Interfaces; Thrust C: Cascades Catalysis, and Thrust H: Catalytic Hybrid Photoelectrodes.

Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM):

KPFM is a technique that uses the tip of an AFM to measure the surface potential of materials. From these measurements, the work function can be determined. In semiconductors, this information is related to the band bending at the surface. By further combining KPFM with light, a spatially resolved photovoltage can be measured. These measurements reveal how charge carriers are moving under illumination, which is a critical piece of information in designing efficient photoelectrodes.

Sample KPFM scan

Local Anodic Oxidation (LAO) Nanolithography:

If an electrical bias is applied to an AFM tip, it can react with the water in the air to oxidize surfaces or molecules attached to the surface. Due to the nanoscopic size of the AFM tip, precise designs can be achieved. Through LAO nanolithography, the microenvironments of electrocatalysts can be selectively modified to tune the reactivity of catalysts.


High Sensitivity ATR-IR:

Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) is combined with an IR light source to study the surfaces of materials. In ATR, IR light is passed through an ATR crystal to create multiple internal reflections and sensitively probe molecules on a surface. Our lab is a part of the design and implementation of this technique to make it more sensitive and widely accessible to CHASE researchers.