Tracking the transient: Real-time exploration of electromaterials by dynamic single energy X-ray spectroelectrochemistry

Electrochemical characterization of an electromaterial normally combines steady-state and dynamic analysis techniques to identify and parameterize key charge–transfer processes along with coupled material transformations and chemical/catalytic reactions. On the other hand, highly informative complementary characterization methods, such as in situ X-ray spectroscopy, are most commonly applied in a potentiostatic mode, probing only quasi-stabilized states of the material. While being of immense importance to the field, such approaches provide very limited information on dynamic processes and their kinetics. This limitation can be resolved by combining the steady-state analysis with Dynamic Single Energy X-ray Spectroelectrochemistry – a technique of focus herein. The manuscript outlines the basic principles of this method, identifies the scope of its applications, and provides an overview of its progressively increasing use in in situ/operando research of electromaterials.