Revealing the molecular interplay of coverage, wettability, and capacitive response at the Pt(111)-water solution interface under bias

Abstract While electrified interfaces are crucial for electrocatalysis and corrosion, their molecular morphology remains largely unknown. Through highly realistic ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of the Pt(111)-water solution interface in reducing conditions, we reveal a deep interconnection...

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Main Authors: Federico Raffone, Rémi Khatib, Marialore Sulpizi, Clotilde Cucinotta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Communications Chemistry
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01446-w
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author Federico Raffone
Rémi Khatib
Marialore Sulpizi
Clotilde Cucinotta
author_facet Federico Raffone
Rémi Khatib
Marialore Sulpizi
Clotilde Cucinotta
author_sort Federico Raffone
collection DOAJ
description Abstract While electrified interfaces are crucial for electrocatalysis and corrosion, their molecular morphology remains largely unknown. Through highly realistic ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of the Pt(111)-water solution interface in reducing conditions, we reveal a deep interconnection among electrode coverage, wettability, capacitive response, and catalytic activity. We identify computationally the experimentally hypothesised states for adsorbed hydrogen on Pt, HUPD and HOPD, revealing their role in governing interfacial water reorientation and hydrogen evolution. The transition between these two H states with increasing potential, induces a shift from a hydrophobic to a hydrophilic interface and correlates with a change in the primary electrode screening mechanism. This results in a slope change in differential capacitance, marking the onset of the experimentally observed peak around the potential of zero charge. Our work produces crucial insights for advancing electrocatalytic energy conversion, developing deep understanding of electrified interfaces.
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institution DOAJ
issn 2399-3669
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publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
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series Communications Chemistry
spelling doaj-art-b6099b008d244f8dad1d2cd4e9d5f2182025-08-20T03:03:57ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Chemistry2399-36692025-02-018111210.1038/s42004-025-01446-wRevealing the molecular interplay of coverage, wettability, and capacitive response at the Pt(111)-water solution interface under biasFederico Raffone0Rémi Khatib1Marialore Sulpizi2Clotilde Cucinotta3Department of Chemistry and Thomas Young Centre, Imperial College LondonDepartment of Physics, Johannes Gutenberg UniversityDepartment of Physics, Ruhr-University BochumDepartment of Chemistry and Thomas Young Centre, Imperial College LondonAbstract While electrified interfaces are crucial for electrocatalysis and corrosion, their molecular morphology remains largely unknown. Through highly realistic ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of the Pt(111)-water solution interface in reducing conditions, we reveal a deep interconnection among electrode coverage, wettability, capacitive response, and catalytic activity. We identify computationally the experimentally hypothesised states for adsorbed hydrogen on Pt, HUPD and HOPD, revealing their role in governing interfacial water reorientation and hydrogen evolution. The transition between these two H states with increasing potential, induces a shift from a hydrophobic to a hydrophilic interface and correlates with a change in the primary electrode screening mechanism. This results in a slope change in differential capacitance, marking the onset of the experimentally observed peak around the potential of zero charge. Our work produces crucial insights for advancing electrocatalytic energy conversion, developing deep understanding of electrified interfaces.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01446-w
spellingShingle Federico Raffone
Rémi Khatib
Marialore Sulpizi
Clotilde Cucinotta
Revealing the molecular interplay of coverage, wettability, and capacitive response at the Pt(111)-water solution interface under bias
Communications Chemistry
title Revealing the molecular interplay of coverage, wettability, and capacitive response at the Pt(111)-water solution interface under bias
title_full Revealing the molecular interplay of coverage, wettability, and capacitive response at the Pt(111)-water solution interface under bias
title_fullStr Revealing the molecular interplay of coverage, wettability, and capacitive response at the Pt(111)-water solution interface under bias
title_full_unstemmed Revealing the molecular interplay of coverage, wettability, and capacitive response at the Pt(111)-water solution interface under bias
title_short Revealing the molecular interplay of coverage, wettability, and capacitive response at the Pt(111)-water solution interface under bias
title_sort revealing the molecular interplay of coverage wettability and capacitive response at the pt 111 water solution interface under bias
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01446-w
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AT remikhatib revealingthemolecularinterplayofcoveragewettabilityandcapacitiveresponseatthept111watersolutioninterfaceunderbias
AT marialoresulpizi revealingthemolecularinterplayofcoveragewettabilityandcapacitiveresponseatthept111watersolutioninterfaceunderbias
AT clotildecucinotta revealingthemolecularinterplayofcoveragewettabilityandcapacitiveresponseatthept111watersolutioninterfaceunderbias