Tuning the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Activity and Mechanism on Pt via Nano-Confinement of Interfacial Water

Water structuring critically influences reactivity in aqueous electrocatalysis, yet the roles of interfacial water networks in electrode kinetics remain poorly defined. Here, we use the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) on Pt in acidic media to investigate how modifications to the bulk and interfacial water networks, achieved through the introduction of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), alter HER kinetics. Ultramicroelectrode measurements, with high mass transfer rate and low solution resistance, isolate intrinsic HER kinetics at the DMSO-free regions of the Pt surface. DMSO adsorption blocks HER, but activity on water-rich regions remains stable until the water-covered area drops below 30%, where HER kinetics sharply decline, and the hydrogen adsorption step becomes rate-limiting. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations reveal that the adsorbed DMSO confines the interfacial water clusters and disrupts the hydrogen bonding. When the resulting interfacial water clusters become sufficiently small, interfacial proton delivery is impeded, retarding the overall HER kinetics. These findings demonstrate how interfacial water confinement offers a strategy to modulate electrocatalysis beyond conventional surface modifications.