Publication date: 21st July 2025
The molecular structure of the electrical double layer (EDL) fundamentally impacts the chemistry of electrochemical processes. In particular, the orientation and hydrogen-bonding network of interfacial water within the EDL under applied potentials critically influence catalyst performance [1-2]. While several mechanistic studies have linked hydration water ordering to reactions such as the hydrogen evolution (HER) [3-4], hydrogen oxidation (HOR) [5], and oxygen reduction (ORR) reactions [6], the specific role of interfacial water structure in CO2 electroreduction (CO2RR) remains largely unexplored. In this presentation, I will present our recent works on elucidating the interrelation between surface-adsorbed species, interfacial water structure, and reaction products on Au and Cu catalysts in aqueous bicarbonate electrolytes. Our approach combines on-line differential electrochemcial mass spectrometry (DEMS), in situ attenuated total reflection surface enhanced infrared spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS), operando shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS), electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM) and density functional theory (DFT). We reveal that carbonate induces ordered interfacial hydration networks. On Au, carbonates exist in equilibrium with their radicals (CO3•–) that act as proton relays, accelerating HER by facilitating proton delivery. Moreover, these CO3•– radicals are found to serve as carbon source for aldehyde formation, alongside the commonly observed CO product in Au-catalyzed CO2RR. Water is identified as the primary proton donor for both CO2RR and HER, with bicarbonate predominantly participates in the Heyrovsky step. Our mechanistic insights advance a comprehensive understanding of CO2RR and the critical role of hydration water at electrochemical interfaces, opening new avenues for future research in energy conversion, photo-electrocatalysis, and surface science.
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