Abstract: The transition to sustainable energy solutions has long been hindered by the challenge of developing efficient, cost-effective alternatives to hydrocarbons. Hydrogen, a leading candidate for green fuel, offers a promising pathway through water splitting. However, its widespread adoption remains constrained by sluggish electrocatalytic reactions, poor catalyst stability, and high material costs, limiting both hydrogen production and utilization in fuel cells.

In this talk, I will introduce an innovative materials discovery approach that harnesses non-equilibrium thermodynamics, allowing reaction kinetics to dictate the synthesis of novel catalysts. This method has led to the development of metastable materials, including high-entropy alloys and ceramics, that exhibit unprecedented catalytic activity and stability for key electrochemical processes—particularly green hydrogen production and CO₂ conversion into valuable fuels and feedstocks.