Our lab explores chemical reactivity at the nanoscale using advanced vibrational spectroscopies that provide nanometer-level spatial resolution. By integrating IR nanospectroscopy methods (AFM-IR and sSNOM) with tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS), we investigate how activity varies across distinct surface sites within individual nanoparticles. Using vibrational probe molecules that selectively bind to catalytic surfaces, we generate spatially resolved chemical maps that uncover structure–reactivity relationships at the single-particle level. This correlative approach offers a powerful window into surface heterogeneity across systems ranging from 2D materials to supported catalysts.
We also study how metal-metal and metal-oxide interfaces evolve under reaction-relevant conditions, with a focus on understanding how atomic-scale rearrangements influence catalytic performance. By combining surface organometallic chemistry, state-of-the-art spectroscopic tools, and the synthesis of well-defined bimetallic architectures, we probe the dynamics of alloying, segregation, and restructuring in real time.
Together, these efforts aim to reveal interfacial and nanoscale phenomena that remain hidden in conventional bulk measurements yet critically dictate catalytic selectivity and activity. Our lab’s research bridges molecular-level insight with macroscopic function, ultimately guiding the design of more efficient and robust catalytic systems.