Electrocatalysis for energy conversion and environmental protection

According to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, electrocatalysis is defined as "an electrochemical reaction using a catalyst." It is necessary to explore the complexity and practicability of electrocatalysts when searching for new nano-catalysts with excellent performances. We propose to study the structure–activity relationship and obtain the interpretable electrochemical response as a design-oriented theoretical basis by taking the nanomaterial electrode as the basic structural unit. A deep understanding of the specific phenomena in the field of electrocatalysis will help to improve the research quality in the field of electrocatalysis. In this chapter, the basic principle, electrocatalytic mechanism, electrode materials, and application prospects of a variety of electrocatalysis reactions are briefly reviewed (including energy and environmental applications).