Bioinspired Sulfo oxygen bridges optimize interfacial water structure for enhanced hydrogen oxidation and evolution reactions

Chengdong Yang, Yun Gao, Zhengyu Xing, Xinxin Shu, Zechao Zhuang, Yueqing Wang, Yijuan Zheng, Shuang Li, Chong Cheng (), Dingsheng Wang () and Jintao Zhang ()
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Chengdong Yang: Shandong University
Yun Gao: Tsinghua University
Zhengyu Xing: Sichuan University
Xinxin Shu: Shandong University
Zechao Zhuang: Tsinghua University
Yueqing Wang: Shandong University
Yijuan Zheng: Sichuan University
Shuang Li: Sichuan University
Chong Cheng: Sichuan University
Dingsheng Wang: Tsinghua University
Jintao Zhang: Shandong University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Uncovering the dynamic structures of water at the electrode-solution interface is crucial for various electrocatalysis processes, where water acts as a proton and electron source. However, precisely controlling the state of water on complex interfaces remains challenging. Inspired by the metalloproteins in natural enzymes, we herein demonstrate that the hydrophilic sulfo-oxygen bridging between Co and Ru sites (Cos-SO-Ru) optimizes interfacial water structure via a favorable hydrogen-bond network, promoting hydrogen oxidation and evolution reactions. Mechanistic studies reveal that the stereoscopic sulfo-oxygen bridges enhance the connectivity of hydrogen-bond network to promote the proton transfer process via repelling cations from the electrode surface. Furthermore, electron donating Co sites reduce the surface oxophilicity of Ru to optimize the adsorption-desorption behaviors of hydroxyl, governing the timely refreshed Ru sites to enhance catalytic performances. Such bioinspired active sites offer a different pathway for the precise design of interfacial water structure to improve electrocatalysis.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61871-2

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