Marc Koper in the spotlight again as he receives the ECS Allen J. Bard Award!

30 May 2021

The Electrochemical Society (ECS) honored Marc Koper, Professor of Surface Chemistry and Catalysis at Universiteit Leiden, Netherlands, with the 2021 ECS Allen J. Bard Award in Electrochemical Science.

Bard Award Address

Koper’s address, “Electrochemistry of Platinum: New Views on an Old Problem,” presents his research group’s recent work on understanding the surface chemistry of platinum in an aqueous electrolyte, by combining single-crystal electrochemistry, density functional theory calculations, ultra-high-vacuum modeling, in situ spectroscopy, and in situ electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy. Platinum is the most used electrocatalyst in electrochemical energy conversion devices such as fuel cells and electrolysers. Koper challenges some existing explanations and interpretations of platinum electrochemistry, and shows the sometimes surprising surface disordering of platinum that happens at both positive (anodic) and negative (cathodic) potentials.

Bard Award

The ECS Allen J. Bard Award in Electrochemical Science was established in 2013 to recognize distinguished contributions to electrochemical science. Recipients have made paradigm shifting contributions in the fields of electrochemical science. They are known for exceptionally creative experimental or theoretical studies that opened new directions in electroanalytical chemistry or electrocatalysis.

The award is named in honor of Allen J. Bard, in recognition of his outstanding advancements in electrochemical science. Bard is the Norman Hackerman-Welch Regents Chair in Chemistry and Director of the Center for Electrochemistry at The University of Texas at Austin. A well-published expert in electrochemistry, he is responsible for over 850 peer-reviewed research papers, 75 publications, and three books: Chemical Equilibrium, Electrochemical Methods – Fundamentals and Applications, and Integrated Chemical Systems: A Chemical Approach to Nanotechnology.