Overview

• In aqueous and protic organic media, electrocatalytic reactions proceed through proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) — the step that delivers hydrogen to reacting intermediates, governing reaction rate when rate-determining and steering product selectivity through the interfacial proton environment, from local H⁺ concentration to *H coverage 

• Every reaction we study is the same question: where, and how fast, is hydrogen delivered?

• From this PCET insight, we design high-efficiency electrocatalysts — probed by operando spectroscopy and validated in flow-cell/MEA electrolyzers — to produce green hydrogen and H₂O₂ and convert pollutants (CO₂, wastewater, waste plastics) into valuable chemicals

• Ultimately, we aim to contribute to closing the resource loops of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen 

1. Hydrogen & Oxygen Electrochemistry (HER · OER · ORR)

• Green hydrogen production via direct seawater electrolysis, using selective OER anodes that suppress the competing chlorine evolution reaction (CER)

• Steering ORR selectivity between the 2e⁻ pathway (H₂O₂ electrosynthesis) and the 4e⁻ pathway (fuel cells), toward on-site production of green oxidants

• Electrocatalytic hydrogenation and hydrogen-isotope exchange (deuteration) of organic molecules — including pharmaceutical intermediates — via Pd-membrane reactors (ePMR), delivering in-situ generated hydrogen directly to substrates without high-pressure H₂ gas

2. CO₂ Reduction (CO₂RR)

• Conversion of CO₂ into multicarbon (C₂⁺) products — ethylene, ethanol, and beyond — in MEA flow electrolyzers

• Mechanism-guided catalyst design to steer C–C coupling and achieve high C₂⁺ selectivity at industrial current densities

• O₂-tolerant electrode design toward direct conversion of real flue gas

• Integrated CO₂ capture and conversion: direct electroreduction of amine-captured CO₂ (e.g., monoethanolamine) to CO, bypassing the energy-intensive CO₂ regeneration step

3. Waste Valorization (Wastewater · Waste Plastics)

• Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction (NO₃RR): converting nitrate pollutants in wastewater into ammonia, a fertilizer precursor

• Electrooxidation of PET-derived ethylene glycol into glycolic acid — a high-value cosmetic ingredient