Many modern electrochemical and photoelectrochemical devices, such as solar cells, fuel cells and batteries, contain semiconducting and metallic electrodes or catalysts as their main components. When polycrystalline electrodes are used in these systems, it is important to be able to control the morphology of the particles in order to produce highly efficient, cost-effective and lightweight electrode materials.

In this Dalton Transactions Frontier, Kyoung-Shin Choi, from Purdue University, USA, reviews the recently developed strategies to control the crystal shapes of inorganic materials grown on conductive substrates via electrodeposition. This method offers a high degree of freedom in manipulating the crystal growth process via deposition potential and current.

The author focuses on methods of controlling crystal habit and branching growth as these processes dictate the fundamental shape of crystals.