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Updated: Oct 11, 2025
10:28
Probing the Structure and Dynamics of Interfacial Water with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy
Published on: May 27, 2018
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In situ Raman spectroscopy reveals the structure and dissociation of interfacial water
Yao-Hui Wang1, Shisheng Zheng2, Wei-Min Yang1
1State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Energy, College of Materials, College of Physical Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Nature
|December 2, 2021
Summary
Studying interfacial water on palladium single-crystal surfaces reveals that ordered water structures enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Local cation tuning can optimize these structures for improved electrocatalysis.
Area of Science:
- Surface science
- Energy science
- Catalysis
Background:
- Understanding solid-liquid interfacial water is crucial for surface science, energy, and catalysis.
- Atomically flat single-crystal electrodes serve as model catalysts to study structure-activity relationships.
- Probing interfacial water is challenging due to bulk water interference and complex environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate interfacial water structure and dynamics on atomically flat palladium single-crystal surfaces.
- Elucidate the role of interfacial water in electrocatalytic processes, specifically the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
- Explore the influence of electrolytes and electrode surface properties on interfacial water structure.
Main Methods:
- Electrochemical measurements
- In situ Raman spectroscopy
- Computational modeling
Main Results:
- Direct spectral evidence identified interfacial water as hydrogen-bonded and hydrated Na+ ion water.
- At HER potentials, interfacial water transitioned from random to ordered structures, driven by bias potential and Na+ ion cooperation.
- Ordered interfacial water structures facilitated efficient electron transfer, leading to increased HER rates.
Conclusions:
- Interfacial water structure significantly impacts electrocatalytic efficiency.
- Local cation tuning strategies can be employed to order interfacial water.
- Generalizable findings suggest potential for improving electrocatalytic reaction rates through interfacial water ordering.
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