Probing water-electrified electrode interfaces: Insights from Au and Pd

Abstract

The water/electrode interface under an applied bias potential is a challenging out-of-equilibrium phenomenon, which is difficult to accurately model at the atomic scale. In this study, we employ a combined approach of density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green’s function methods to analyze the influence of an external bias on the properties of water adsorbed on Au(111) and Pd(111) metallic electrodes. Our results demonstrate that while both Au and Pd-electrodes induce qualitatively similar structural responses in adsorbed water molecules, the quantitative differences are substantial, driven by the distinct nature of water–metal bonding. Our findings underscore the necessity of quantum-mechanical modeling for accurately describing electrochemical interfaces.