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Given the scarcity and cost of platinum, it is important to develop sustainable processes for its recycling. Here, the authors report the dissolution of metallic platinum using reductive and oxidative gases to repetitively change its surface oxidation state, in the absence of an external electric current.

Electrolytic hydrogen production using conventional electrocatalysts suffers from low energy efficiency, due in part to the sluggish nature of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Topological chiral semimetals are now explored to facilitate the OER by promoting spin-dependent electron transfer during the reaction.

The durability of Fe-N-C single-atom-catalysts for oxygen reduction in acidic medium remains elusive. Here, the authors report how a low amount of platinum stabilizes the FeN4 sites via a long-range electronic effect.

Green hydrogen production via water electrolysis requires a low-cost solution to provide efficient catalysts. Here, the authors report an industrially scalable method for synthesizing NiFe layered double hydroxide at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, enhancing alkaline electrolysis.

The stability of non-noble catalysts is key for their use in proton exchange membrane water electrolysers. Here, authors study activity-stability relationships of MoS_x allotropes for H₂ production, reporting allotrope-dependent stabilities and dissolution pathways, and propose operation guidelines.

Predictive electrocatalyst design is challenged by uncontrollable precatalyst reconstruction during operation. Here, informed by operando spectroscopies, activation protocols are developed to stabilize surfaces and improve catalyst reliability.

Electrocatalysis would not be the same without the rotating disk electrode. Its invention in the mid-twentieth century enabled immense developments, which rendered it a classic technique in electrochemistry. The rotating disk electrode will remain a cornerstone of electrocatalysis with further advances that bridge the gap with real systems.

Dissolution of Ir catalysts varies widely between PEM water electrolysers and aqueous electrolytes. Here, we systematically investigate this finding and propose that stabilization of the catalysts over time and overestimated ionomer acidity are the main contributors to the dissolution discrepancy.

The proper verification of the stability of metal oxide catalysts for water electrolysis in acid electrolyte remains unresolved. Here, the ‘stability number’ is introduced to evaluate the dissolution mechanisms of various iridium-based oxides and to facilitate benchmarking of catalysts independent of loading, surface area or involved active sites.

The reconstruction of Cu electrocatalysts during CO₂ reduction is an impediment to the stability of this technology, yet a clear picture of the species involved in this process remains elusive. Here, the authors demonstrate the presence of transient solution-based Cu(I) species and theoretically predict complexes with CO and oxalate as the likely candidates.

Platinum dissolution and restructuring due to surface oxidation are primary degradation mechanisms of platinum-based electrocatalysts. Now, stark differences are reported in the mechanism for the oxidative extraction of platinum atoms on (111) and (100) single crystals, providing a detailed explanation for the enhanced dissolution on the latter surface.

In this proof-of-concept study, Co₃O₄ nanosheets were used as an anodic water oxidation catalyst in a CO₂ electrolyzer cell, replacing Ir. Synthesized directly on Ti paper porous transport layer with an optimized catalyst loading, current densities of 300 mA cm⁻² at 3.4 V. The CO₂ electrolyzer operated continuously for over 50 hours at 250 mA cm⁻², maintaining CO₂ reduction selectivity and cell stability. This scalable synthesis method supports industrial-level CO₂ electrolysis technology, offering a financially optimal alternative to Ir.

Fundamental understanding of electrocatalysis is key to a transition to renewable energy systems. A strategy to ‘electrify’ complex oxide-based model catalysts is now proposed to explore electrocatalytic reactions in liquid electrolytes.