Research

Operando Spectroelectrochemistry and EC-AFM

We observe electrochemical interfaces as they evolve, then connect the observed changes to activity, selectivity, and stability.

Core Questions

• Which surface changes occur during operation rather than before or after testing?
• How do structural and morphological dynamics affect catalytic output?
• Which signals are robust enough to guide catalyst design?

Selected Papers

• Zheng, W. ACS Electrochemistry, 2026, 2, 1127-1137DOI ↗
• Chen, J., et al. Journal of Catalysis, 2024, 438, 115720DOI ↗
• Zheng, W. Chemistry Methods, 2023, 3(2), e202200042DOI ↗
• Zheng, W., et al. ACS Energy Letters, 2021, 6, 2838-2843DOI ↗

Electrocatalyst Degradation and Stability Analysis

We investigate why catalyst performance changes over time and how active sites, supports, and electrolytes contribute to that instability.

Core Questions

• Which degradation pathway dominates under realistic operating histories?
• How can transition-metal catalysts balance activity with durability?
• What measurements distinguish true catalyst change from measurement artifacts?

Selected Papers

• Zheng, W. and Chen, S. JACS Au, 2025, 5, 6396-6409DOI ↗
• Chen, S. and Zheng, W. Chemistry of Materials, 2026, 38, 1651-1666DOI ↗
• Du, L. and Zheng, W. APL Energy, 2024, 2, 021501DOI ↗

Quantitative Electrochemical Methods and Data Workflows

We develop practical guidance and open computational workflows for electrochemical measurements that are easy to misinterpret.

Core Questions

• Which assumptions in common electrochemical workflows are fragile?
• How should data be processed so others can reproduce the interpretation?
• How can computational tools reduce avoidable analysis errors?

Selected Papers

• Zheng, W. and Du, L. ACS Energy Letters, 2024, 9, 4581-4586DOI ↗
• Zheng, W. ECS Advances, 2023, 4, 040502DOI ↗
• Zheng, W. ACS Energy Letters, 2023, 8, 1952-1958DOI ↗