Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
10:15
Solar-Driven Electrochemical Green Fuel Production from CO2 and Water Using Ti3C2Tx MXene-Supported CuZn and NiCo Catalysts
Published on: November 7, 2025
Engineering the dynamic reactant-electrode interface in electroreduction systems: advances, challenges and prospects
Kouer Zhang1, Lizhen Wu1, Xiaomin Xu2
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. liang.an@polyu.edu.hk.
Chemical Society Reviews
|July 22, 2026
Summary
Engineering the dynamic reactant-electrode interface is key for efficient electrochemical reduction. This review details strategies for controlling interfacial electric fields and proton transfer to boost renewable energy conversion and sustainable synthesis.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
Background:
- Electrochemical reduction is vital for renewable energy and chemical synthesis.
- Catalyst design traditionally focuses on static structures, overlooking dynamic interfacial processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review strategies for actively engineering the dynamic reactant-electrode interface.
- To highlight the importance of interfacial microenvironment control for electroreduction efficiency and selectivity.
Main Methods:
- Systematic examination of interfacial determinants (rate-limiting barriers, electronic structures, adsorption-desorption balance).
- Analysis of electric field engineering (bias, cation effects, geometry, built-in fields).
- Exploration of proton transfer modulation (proton-coupled electron transfer, active hydrogen behavior, Lewis acid-base pairs, local pH).
Main Results:
- Dual modulation of interfacial electric fields and proton transfer dynamics are central to performance.
- Electric field engineering concentrates reactants, stabilizes intermediates, and steers selectivity.
- Proton transfer modulation overcomes kinetic bottlenecks and suppresses side reactions.
Conclusions:
- Active interface engineering offers a comprehensive framework for enhancing electroreduction systems.
- Advanced computational methods and machine learning accelerate rational interface design.
- Insights provide strategic guidance for next-generation energy and environmental applications.
Related Concept Videos
01:08Electrodeposition
Electrodeposition is a technique used to separate an analyte from interferents by electrochemical processes. Here, the analyte is a metal ion that can be deposited on an electrode immersed in the sample solution. The electrochemical setup consists of an anode and a cathode. When an electric current is applied to the setup, oxidation occurs at the anode. At the cathode, which consists of a large metal surface, metal ions undergo reduction and deposit onto the surface.
Electrodeposition can...
Electrodeposition can...
01:30Processes at Electrodes
The electrode interacts with ions in the electrolyte solution at its interface. The rate of oxidation and reduction depends on the speed at which electrons can transfer through this interface. As ions attach to or leave the electrode surface, the electrode acquires a charge, and an electrical potential forms across the interface, making the process more difficult to reach equilibrium. The charge on the electrode affects the local ion concentrations in the solution, though thermal motion...
01:24Types of Reversible Electrodes
For electrode reversibility to be maintained, all the reactants and products involved in the half-reaction must be present at the electrode. There are several types of reversible electrodes (half-cells).In metal-metal-ion electrodes, a metal balances electrochemically with a solution of its own ions. Examples are Cu2+|Cu and Zn2+|Zn. Metals that react with the solvent, like group 1 and most group 2 metals, which react with water, and zinc, which reacts with aqueous acidic solutions, cannot be...
01:06Interfacial Electrochemical Methods: Overview
Interfacial electrochemical methods focus on the phenomena occurring at the boundary between an electrode and a solution, as opposed to bulk methods that concentrate on the solution's overall properties. These interfacial methods are classified as either static or dynamic based on the presence of a nonzero current in the electrochemical cell and the consistency of analyte concentrations. Static methods, such as potentiometry, measure the cell's potential without any significant current passing...
03:00Electrolysis
In a galvanic cell, the electrical work is done by a redox system on its surroundings as electrons produced by the spontaneous redox reactions are transferred through an external circuit. Alternatively, an external circuit does work on a redox system by imposing a voltage sufficient to drive an otherwise nonspontaneous reaction in a process known as electrolysis. For instance, recharging a battery involves the use of an external power source to drive the spontaneous (discharge) cell reaction in...
01:30Electrogravimetric Analysis: Overview
Electrogravimetric analysis measures the weight of an analyte deposited electrolytically onto a suitable working electrode. This method involves applying a potential to a pre-weighed electrode submerged in a solution, which results in the desired substance being deposited through reduction at the cathode or oxidation at the anode. The electrode's weight is recorded after deposition, and the difference in weight gives the analyte's weight in the solution.
To test the completeness of the...
To test the completeness of the...