Welcome to Tong Li's Chair - Atomic-scale Characterisation

My current research interest is synthesising and characterising oxide and metallic nanomaterials for fuel cells, water electrolyzers and battery applications. I am also keen to develop correlative multimodal approaches centered around atom probe tomography to reveal atomic-scale structural and compositional changes at electrolyte/electrode interfaces, thereby providing mechanistic insights into how electrode materials work and degrade.

In addition to electrocatalysts, I am interested in structual materials such as titanium and high entropy alloys. The research focuses on better understanding their structural instability and how nanosized metastable phases nucleate, grow and improve the mechanical properties.

Linking Composition, Structure and Thickness of CoOOH to Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity by Correlative Microscopy,

Our correlative multimodal approach can link local activity with atomic-scale details of structure, morphology and composition of surface species formed during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). We found that 6 nm β-CoOOH(01-10) layer, grown on [-12-10]-oriented Co, contains more hydroxyl ions and easily reducible CoIII-O sites, exhibiting a higher OER activity than 3 nm thick β-CoOOH(10-13) formed on [02-21]-oriented Co. Read more..

C. Luan, J. Angona, A. BalaKrishnan, M. Corva, P. Hosseini, M. Heidelmann, U. Hagemann, E.B. Tetteh, W. Schuhmann, K. Tschulik, T. Li, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2023).

Atomic-scale Insights to Morphological, Structural and Compositional Evolution of CoOOH during Oxygen Evoltuion Reaction

We unveil that in situ generated thin ß-CoOOh(0001) layer undergoes dynamic morphological and elemental changes along with (de)incorporation of water molecules and hydroxyl groups during OER, which in turn alters OER perfomance.

C. Luan, M. Corva, U. Hagemann, H. Wang, M. Heidelmann, K. Tschulik, T. Li;  ACS Catalysis 12(2) (2023) 1400-1411.

Atomic-scale Characterisation of (electro-)catalysts and battery materials by atom probe tomography

This perspective provides an overview of recent developments in experimental setups, sample preparation methods and data analysis algorithms for APT.

T. Li, A. Devaraj, N. Kruse; Cell Reports Physical Science 3(12) (2022) 101188.

Direct Detection of Surface Species Formed on Iridium Electrocatalysts during the Oxygen Evolution

We developed an approach to directly examine the oxidation state and surface composition of nanosized Ir electrodes after oxygen evolution reaction (OER). APT reveals compositional changes in the topmost surface and subsurface on various Ir planes during OER.

A. BalaKrishnan, N. Blanc, U. Hagemann, P. Gemagami, K. Wonner, K. Tschulik, T. Li;  Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 60(39) (2021) 21396-21403.

3D atomic-scale imaging of mixed Co-Fe spinel oxide nanoparticles during oxygen evolution reaction

We use atom probe tomography to elucidate the 3D structure of 10 nm sized Co₂ FeO₄ and CoFe2O₄ nanoparticles during oxygen evolution reaction (OER). We reveal nanoscale spinodal decomposition in pristine Co₂FeO₄.

W. Xiang, N. Yang, X. Li, J. Linnemann, U. Hagemann, O. Ruediger, M. Heidelmann, T. Falk, M. Aramini, S. DeBeer, M. Muhler, K. Tschulik, T. Li;  Nature Communications 13(1) (2022) 179.