Single-molecule catalysis

ISC Department Seminar
Datum: 20.05.2026
Uhrzeit: 14:00 - 15:00
Vortragender: Prof. Dr. Peng Chen
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University
Ort: Building P, Faradayweg 16, 14195 Berlin
Raum: Seminar Room P 2.05
Gastgeber: Interface Science Department
Kontakt: steinhagen@fhi-berlin.mpg.de
Rubrik: Gesprächs- und Diskussionsformate, Vorträge

This presentation will first give a brief introduction to the single-molecule fluorescence approaches to image catalytic reactions on single nanoparticles at single-turnover and super-optical resolution. It will present applications of such approaches in gaining insights into the spatiotemporal reactivity patterns on single catalyst particle in (photo)(electro)catalysis. It will also describe the recent development of new approaches for super-resolution imaging of nonfluorescent processes on surfaces, including molecular adsorption and the formation of metal-hydrogen intermediates in (photo)electrocatalysis.

· P. Chen*, X. Zhou, N. M. Andoy, K.-S. Han, E. Choudhary, N. Zou, G. Chen, H. Shen “Spatiotemporal Catalytic Dynamics within Single Nanocatalysts Revealed by Single-Molecule Microscopy” Chem. Soc. Rev. 2014, 43, 1107-1117.

· X. Mao, C. Liu, M. Hesari, N. Zou, P. Chen* “Super-resolution imaging of nonfluorescent reactions via competition” Nature Chem. 2019, 11, 687-694.

· R. Ye,^† M. Zhao,^† X. Mao, Z. Wang, D. A. Garzon, H. Pu, Z. Zhao, P. Chen* “Nanoscale cooperative adsorption for materials control” Nature Commun. 2021, 12, 4287.

· X. Mao, P. Chen* “Inter-facet junction effects on particulate photoelectrodes” Nature Mater. 2022, 21, 331-337.

· M. Zhao, W. Li, M. Yang, Z. Zhao, R. Ye, X. Mao, P. Padgett, P. Chen* “Long-range enhancement of micropollutant adsorption on metal-promoted photocatalysts” Nature Catal. 2024, 7, 912-920.

· W. Li, M. Yang, Z. Zhao, M. Zhao, R. Ye, B. Fu, P. Chen* “Single-molecule reaction mapping uncovers diverse behaviors of electrocatalytic surface Pd-H intermediates” Nature Catal. 2025, 8, 1159-1168.

BIO

Peng Chen is the Peter Debye Professor of Chemistry at Cornell University. He did his B.S. at Nanjing University, Ph.D. at Stanford University, and postdoc at Harvard University. His group pioneered the study of single-nanoparticle catalysis, electrocatalysis, and photoelectrocatalysis; of living polymerizations by single molecular catalysts; and of biological inorganic systems in vitro and in living cells; using single-molecule/particle imaging and manipulation methods. His current research interests are heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis, metal homeostasis machineries in vitro and in cells, and bacterial energy conversions. He is a member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has received many national and international awards and given many named, plenary, and keynote lectures. He is an Associate Editor for the ACS journal Chemical & Biomedical Imaging.