Tweaking Water Rigidity at the Interface of Electrochemical Reactions

Electrochemical energy systems are central for the development of sustainable technologies, steering the transition towards a carbon-neutral future. Important heterogeneous electron transfer processes, such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR), which are integral to this transition, are governed by a rich interplay of processes occurring at the electrochemical interface. In this talk, I will discuss the importance of interfacial water rigidity and how one can bring targeted electrode–electrolyte interface engineering strategies to tune the interfacial water structure and water activity, thereby enhancing the product selectivity and reaction kinetics of electrochemical processes such as HER and CO₂RR. These studies highlight the importance of understanding and engineering the electrochemical interface and open avenues for wide-ranging interfaceengineering opportunities, laying a foundation for many future research directions.

1. Structure of Interfacial Water at Gold Electrodes during Hydrogen Evolution in Alkaline Medium: A Spectroscopic Study through Isotopic Dilution, ChemRxiv: DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-klt8q. 2. Tailoring the Interfacial Water Structure by Electrolyte Engineering for Selective Electrocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide, ACS Catalysis, DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c01223. 3. Tweaking the Water Rigidity at Noble Metal Interfaces for Enhanced Alkaline Hydrogen Production via myo-Inositol Coating- A Bioinspired Approach, J.Am. Chem. Soc. (Accepted)