Charles McCrory

The electrochemical transformation of small molecules is at the core of energy and environmental chemistry. Reactions of interest to our group include: 1) the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ and H₂O for the conversion of intermittent energy sources to chemical fuels, 2) the reduction of NO₃^- salts and other common pollutants for the remediation of agricultural wastewater, and 3) the low-temperature electrochemical conversion of N₂ to NH₃. In the McCrory group, our general research approach is to develop enabling technologies that allow for the careful study and control of electrocatalytic processes with an emphasis on kinetic and mechanistic analysis, and to use these approaches to address fundamental challenges in the electrochemical conversion of small molecules by solid-state and molecular catalysts. We use a combination of surface science and electrochemistry to directly observe reactive intermediates in the catalytic pathway in model systems and then use these mechanistic findings to develop new, efficient electrocatalytic materials.

A key component of our research is the synthesis and characterization of solid-state and molecular electrocatalysts. Therefore, our lab uses a variety of synthetic techniques for the preparation of catalytic materials, and a suite of analytical tools for the characterization of inorganic complexes (e.g. NMR, IR spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography) and solid state materials (e.g. X-ray powder diffraction, electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy). Electrochemical analysis of catalytic kinetics is a central component of our research program, and so we are well-versed in electroanalytical techniques (e.g. cyclic voltammetry, bulk electrolysis, hydrodynamic techniques, spectroelectrochemistry, electrochemical flow cells) and product separation and identification (e.g. gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry). Our multi-disciplinary approach allows us to understand the kinetics and mechanisms of energy- and environmentally-relevant catalytic processes, and facilitates the development of new, efficient electrocatalytic systems for energy conversion and environmental remediation.

Representative Publications

Kramer, W. W.; McCrory, C. C. L. "Polymer Coordination Promotes Selective CO₂ Reduction by Cobalt Phthalocyanine." Chem. Sci., 2016, 7, 2506-2515. *Cover Article (Inside Front Cover)

McCrory, C. C. L.; Jung, S.; Ferrer, I. M.; Chatman, S.; Peters, J. C.; Jaramillo, T. F. “Benchmarking Hydrogen Evolving and Oxygen Evolving Electrocatalysts for Solar Water Splitting Devices.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2015, 137, 4347-4357.

McCrory, C. C. L.; Jung, S.; Peters, J. C.; Jaramillo, T. F. “Benchmarking Heterogeneous Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2013, 135, 16977-16987. *Featured as Editor’s Choice article in Science Magazine, 2013, 342, 911. *Highlighted in 2015 ACS Select Virtual Issue: Inorganic Chemistry Driving the Energy Sciences.

McCrory, C. C. L.; Uyeda, C.; Peters, J. C. “Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in Acidic Water with Molecular Cobalt Tetraazamacrocycles.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012, 134, 3164-3170.

McCrory, C. C. L.; Devadoss, A.; Ottenwaelder, X.; Lowe, R. D.; Stack, T. D. P.; Chidsey, C. E. D. “Electrocatalytic O2 Reduction by Covalently Immobilized Mononuclear Copper(I) Complexes: Evidence for a Binuclear Cu₂O₂ Intermediate.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, 133, 3696-3699.

Education

Ph.D., Stanford University
PostDoc, California Institute of Technology

Research Areas(s)

• Analytical Chemistry
  Energy Science
  Electrochemistry
  Inorganic Chemistry
  Materials Chemistry
  Nano Chemistry
  Surface Chemistry