System and Methods for Controlling Material Synthesis via Electrochemical Reactions

An electrochemical reactor for synthesizing a material, comprising:

• a sealed reaction chamber;
• an electrode;
• a conductive seed material deposited on, or in proximity with, the electrode;
• a delivery system for introducing an aqueous electrolyte comprising one or more chemical precursors;
• and
• a power supply configured to (i) apply a pre-pulse electrical treatment to the electrode to activate the conductive seed material by modifying its chemical or electronic state, and (ii) apply a pulsed electrical current or potential to the electrode to convert the chemical precursors into material growth species.

A method of synthesizing a material comprising:

• depositing a conductive seed material onto, or in proximity with, an electrode within an electrochemical reactor;
• introducing into the electrochemical reactor an electrolyte comprising one or more chemical precursors;
• applying an electrical current or potential to the electrode to convert the chemical precursors into material growth species;
• and
• nucleating the material growth species on the conductive seed material such that the conductive seed material initiates growth of a solid material, wherein the electrochemical reactor operates at a temperature between about 0° C. and about 400° C.