Leveraging Multiphase Interfaces for Materials Synthesis

The interface between water and oil has many unique physicochemical properties that are continuing to be explored. This dissertation demonstrates several properties of these interfaces that can be leveraged to drive unique electrochemistry at or near the location where this interface meets an electrode surface under mild applied potentials. New methods for the electrodeposition of metallic nanowires and electroprecipitation of electrocatalytic metal hydroxides are discussed. Additionally, a new method for spontaneously emulsifying water and oil phases is introduced, which can lengthen the liquid|liquid|electrode boundary to further drive the preferential electrochemical transformations just described.