Research Interest :
Environmental protection and resource utilization are essential to advancing a circular economy and achieving sustainable development. Our research focuses on the selective electrocatalytic conversion of small molecules, including nitrate reduction to ammonia, deep hydrodehalogenation of halogenated pollutants, carbon dioxide reduction, and water splitting. We investigate these processes from three interconnected perspectives: materials design, advanced characterization, and mechanistic elucidation of catalytic processes. The materials studied include inorganic membranes, single-atom catalysts, metal nanocrystals, intermetallic compounds, and mixed-metal oxides.
We are devoted to tacking issues from materials and mechanistic points of views at the atomic level:
· Precisely engineering catalytically active sites at surfaces and interfaces at the atomic scale, with particular emphasis on tailoring their local coordination environments and electronic structures;
· Employing in situ and operando techniques to elucidate, at the atomic and molecular levels, the key reaction pathways and regulatory mechanisms governing small-molecule activation and conversion.
Featured Publications :
1. P. Ma, J. Xu, Q. Hao, J. Li, H. Cao, H. Luo, K. Zhu, E. Peng, C. Jia*, Y. Ye*, H. Chen*, J. Bao*. Site-dependent hydrogen adsorption of Pt single atoms for ampere-level alkaline hydrogen evolution. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2026, 65, e5990615.
2. H. Chen, J. Li, R. Shi, Y. Wu, B. Zhou, Y. Yao, Z. Geng, L. Wang, L. Zhang, M. Fan*, B. Yang*. Coupled Pdδ‑-Cuδ+ dipole for enhanced aqueous nitrate valorization at ultralow potentials. ACS Nano 2025, 19, 31677-31689.
3. H. Chen, S. Chen, Z. Zhang, L. Sheng, J. Zhao, W. Fu, S. Xi, R. Si, L. Wang*, M. Fan*, B. Yang*. Single-atom-induced adsorption optimization of adjacent sites boosted oxygen evolution reaction. ACS Catal. 2022, 12, 13482-13491.
4. B. Yang, M. Li, Z. Zhang, S. Chen, M. Wang, L. Sheng, L. Deng, R. Si, M. Fan, H. Chen*. Spatial and electronic effects synergistically enhanced electrocatalytic oxygen evolution using atomic iridium-anchored cobalt oxyhydroxide nanosheets. Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 2024, 340, 123227.
5. H. Chen, H. Li, S. Chen, L. Sheng, Z. Zhang, W. Wu, M. Fan, L. Wang*, B. Yang*. Atomic Pd dispersion in triangular Cu nanosheets with dominant (111) plane as a tandem catalyst for highly efficient and selective electrodehalogenation. Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 2023, 328, 122480.
6. J. Fan, Y. Liu, R. Shi, P. Hu, Z. Liang, Y. Xie, F.-K. Chiang, M. Fan, H. Chen*, Z. Ao*, B. Yang*. Enhanced atomic hydrogen utilization on ordered Pd1Cu intermetallic single-atom alloy for electrochemical hydrodechlorination. J. Hazard. Mater. 2026, 515, 143041.
7. B. Yang, J. Li, R. Shi, H. Li, M. Fan, M. Liu*, H. Chen*. Breaking scaling relations in electrochemical nitrate reduction via asymmetrical Cu-Fe dual-site catalysts through disentangling geometric and electronic effects. Chem. Eng. J. 2026, 535, 175362.
8. S. Hu, D. Wang, M. Fan, B. Yang, H. Chen*. Highly efficient atomic hydrogen-mediated electrochemical hydrodehalogenation of trichloroacetic acid on 3D hierarchical multi-transition metal selenides. J. Hazard. Mater. 2023, 459, 132282.
9. H. Chen, C. Zhang, L. Sheng, M. Wang, W. Fu, S. Gao, Z. Zhang, S. Chen, R. Shi, L. Wang, B. Yang*. Copper single-atom catalyst as a high-performance electrocatalyst for nitrate-ammonium conversion. J. Hazard. Mater. 2022, 434, 128892.
10. B. Yang, H. Li, Z. Zhang, K. Xiao, M. Yang, F. Zhang, M. Wang, X. Guo, Q. Li, W. Fu, R. Shi, L. Wang, H. Chen*. Nickel dual-atom catalysts for the selective electrocatalytic debromination of tribromoacetic acid as a green chemistry process. Chem. Eng. J. 2022, 427, 131719.
11. H. Chen, W. Fu, Z. Geng, J. Zeng*, B. Yang*. Inductive effect as a universal concept to design efficient catalysts for CO2 electrochemical reduction: electronegativity difference makes a difference. J. Mater. Chem. A. 2021, 9, 4626-4647.
12. H. Chen, X. Guo, X. Kong, Y. Xing, Y. Liu, B. Yu, Q.-X. Li, Z. Geng*, R. Si*, J. Zeng*. Tuning the coordination number of Fe single atoms for the efficient reduction of CO2. Green Chem. 2020, 22, 7529-7536.
13. Y. Xing, J. Ku, W. Fu, L. Wang*, H. Chen*. Inductive effect between atomically dispersed iridium and transition-metal hydroxide nanosheets enables highly efficient oxygen evolution reaction. Chem. Eng. J. 2020, 395, 125149.
14. G. Ji, W. Wang, H. Chen*, S. Yang, J. Sun, W. Fu, B. Yang, Z. Huang*. Sustainable potassium chloride production from concentrated KCl brine via a membrane-promoted crystallization process. Desalination 2022, 521, 115389.
15. G. Ji, W. Wang, H. Chen*, S. Yang, J. Sun, W. Fu, Z. Huang, B. Yang*. A novel membrane-promoted crystallization process integrating water recovery and salt production for brine management. Chem. Eng. J. 2022, 430, 133022.
16. J. Ku, L. Zhang, W. Fu, S. Wang, W. Yin, H. Chen*. Mechanistic study on calcium ion diffusion into fayalite: A step toward sustainable management of copper slag. J. Hazard. Mater. 2021, 410, 124630.
17. H. Chen*, J. Ku*, L. Wang*. Thermal catalysis under dark ambient conditions in environmental remediation: Fundamental principles, development, and challenges. Chinese Journal of Catalysis 2019, 40, 1117-1134.
18. H. Chen, J. Motuzas, W. Martens, J. C. D. da Costa*. Degradation of azo dye Orange II under dark ambient conditions by calcium strontium copper perovskite. Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 2018, 221, 691-700.
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