Voltage-Driven Molecular Catalysis of Electrochemical Reactions

Heterogeneous electrocatalysis and molecular redox catalysis have developed over several decades as two distinct ways to facilitate charge-transfer processes essential for energy conversion and storage. Whereas electrocatalytic reactions are driven by the applied voltage, molecular catalytic processes are driven by the difference between standard potentials of the catalyst and the reactant. Here, we demonstrate that the rate of electron transfer between a dissolved reactant and a molecular catalyst immobilized directly on the surface of a carbon nanoelectrode is governed by combination of chemical driving force and electrostatic potential drop across the double layer. DFT calculations show that varying the applied voltage alters the potential drop between the surface-bound and dissolved redox species. These results suggest a new route for designing next-generation hybrid molecular/electrocatalysts.