The catalyst that stores charge first Linnemann, Julia Leppin, Christian electrocatalysis oxygen evolution reaction cobalt spinel operando characterization spectroelectrochemistry Alkaline oxygen evolution on Co3O4 involves more than adsorption and electron transfer at a fixed surface. The article draws on operando electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (EQCM-D), surface X-ray diffraction (SXRD), Raman, UV/Vis and impedance spectroscopy. On this basis, it discusses pseudocapacitive oxidation of cobalt ion sites, electrolyte uptake and near-surface transformation, and asks which of these changes are kinetically coupled to electrocatalysis. Deutsche Bunsen-Gesellschaft für physikalische Chemie e.V. 2026 info:eu-repo/semantics/article doc-type:article text http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 https://ris.uni-paderborn.de/record/66488 Linnemann J, Leppin C. The catalyst that stores charge first. <i>Bunsen-Magazin</i>. 2026;(4):81-84. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.26125/6G4P-8386">10.26125/6G4P-8386</a> eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.26125/6G4P-8386 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess