Degradation of carbon materials in electrocatalysis

Carbon materials are essential components in various electrocatalysis applications. Carbon degradation is a severe problem in many electrocatalytic conditions. This opinion article first compares the degradation–relevant properties of carbon materials commonly used in electrocatalysis. Next, carbon degradation mechanisms of electrochemical oxidation in aqueous environments (either in aqueous electrolytes or water-containing quasi-solid-state electrolytes) are summarized, which is the most widely used condition in recent electrocatalysis research. Last, the authors propose several critical research issues that need to be addressed to manage carbon degradation in electrocatalysis efficiently.