We develop computational methods to understand and design materials for hydrogen production, CO2 conversion, and solar energy conversion. Led by Robert B. Wexler, our group is based in the Department of Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis.

Research Areas

Surface phase diagram with ordered, disordered, and gas-phase adsorbates

Surface Phase Diagrams

First-principles calculations and nested sampling predict catalyst surface structures as functions of temperature and pressure.

Explore Surface Research
Solar thermochemical hydrogen-production cycle for a redox-active perovskite

Solar Hydrogen Production

We design redox-active perovskites for solar thermochemical water splitting.

Explore Hydrogen Research
Halide-dependent synthesis pathways to wurtzite and rock-salt manganese sulfide nanocrystals

Nanocrystal Synthesis

We study how precursors affect the crystal structure and phase of chalcogenide nanocrystals during synthesis.

Explore Nanocrystal Research

Selected Papers and Preprints

Surface Phase Diagrams from Nested Sampling

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. · 2024

First-principles calculations and nested sampling predict catalyst surface structures as functions of temperature and gas pressure.

Large-Scale Experimental Validation of Thermochemical Water-Splitting Oxides Discovered by Defect Graph Neural Networks

Mater. Horiz. · 2026

Defect graph neural networks identified candidate thermochemical water-splitting oxides for experimental validation.

Equilibrium Thermochemistry and Crystallographic Morphology of Manganese Sulfide Nanocrystals

arXiv · 2026 · Preprint

Equilibrium thermochemistry predicts the crystal phase and morphology of manganese sulfide nanocrystals.

Principal Investigator

Robert B. Wexler

Robert B. Wexler

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis

Rob develops first-principles, Monte Carlo, and machine-learning methods for materials and interfaces. Before joining WashU, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University (2019–2022). He received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2019.

Join the Group

The Wexler Group is recruiting Ph.D. students for all ongoing research projects. Prospective graduate students apply through the Washington University Department of Chemistry. WashU undergraduates and prospective postdoctoral researchers may inquire by email.

Explore Our Work

Methods and Software Research Papers