Overview
The Moreno-Hernandez lab is a multidisciplinary group focused on understanding electrochemical materials to advance renewable energy technologies and create a sustainable future. Their primary tool is liquid cell transmission electron microscopy, a technique that enables direct observations of the structural dynamics of materials in real time and at near-atomic resolution in a realistic liquid environment. They complement this technique with a wide set of analytical techniques and materials synthesis methods that enable the characterization and synthesis of materials with nanoscale precision. This combination enables systematic studies of the relationship between nanoscale structure and macroscale properties. In addition to their research efforts, the Moreno-Hernandez lab aims to create an inclusive environment that embraces the lived experiences of each group member and provides support for ongoing personal growth.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
·
2022 - Present
Chemistry,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Recent Publications
Understanding the reaction energetics of oxygen-evolving electrocatalysts
Journal Article Energy and Environmental Science · August 12, 2025 Electrocatalysts are crucial for efficient electrochemical devices that enable sustainable chemical transformations. Electrocatalyst activity has been correlated to the thermodynamics of reaction intermediates that balance intermediate formation and desorp ... Full text CiteOxidized Overlayers of Ruthenium and Iridium as Electrocatalysts for Anodic Reactions.
Journal Article Journal of the American Chemical Society · July 2025 Renewable energy technologies often rely on rutile tetravalent oxides, such as ruthenium(IV) oxide and iridium(IV) oxide, to catalyze anodic reactions that are paired with fuel formation. Herein, we report the synthesis of angstrom-scale and nanoscale oxid ... Full text CiteHeterointercalation in Chevrel-Phase Sulfides: A Model Periodic Solid for the Investigation of Chain Electron Transfer.
Journal Article Journal of the American Chemical Society · May 2025 Modulation of electron density localization on periodic crystal solids through electron transfer from interstitial cations can directly influence the bonding configurations of small-molecule intermediates at the catalyst binding site. This study presents t ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
CAREER: Harnessing Chemistry and Disorder to Activate Oxygen Electrocatalysis
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2025 - 2029Collaborative Research: Linking Nanoscale Heterogeneities with Macroscale Reactivity of Electrocatalytic Materials
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2025 - 2028Direct Observation of Structural Dynamics at Single Nanocrystal Electrocatalyst/Polymer Electrolyte Interfaces with Liquid Phase Transmission Electron Microscopy
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by American Chemical Society · 2025 - 2027View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
California Institute of Technology ·
2019
Ph.D.
University of Nebraska, Lincoln ·
2014
B.Sc.