Monitoring Cobalt-Oxide Single Particle Electrochemistry with Subdiffraction Accuracy

By partially overcoming the diffraction limit, superlocalization techniques have extended the applicability of optical techniques down to the nanometer size-range. Herein, cobalt oxide-based nanoparticles are electrochemically grown onto carbon nanoelectrodes and their individual catalytic properties are evaluated through a combined electrochemical-optical approach. Using dark-field white light illumination, edges superlocalization techniques are applied to quantify changes in particle size during electrochemical activation with down to 20 nm precision. It allows the monitoring of (i) the anodic electrodeposition of cobalt hydroxide material and (ii) the large and reversible volume expansion experienced by the cobalt hydroxide particle during its oxidation. Meanwhile, the particle light scattering provides chemical information such as the Co redox state transformation, which complements both the particle size and the recorded electrochemical current and provides in operando mechanistic information on particle electrocatalytic properties.