Assessing a First-Principles Model of an Electrochemical Interface by Comparison with Experiment
Abstract
Electrified interfaces are central for electrocatalysis, batteries, and molecular electronics. Experimental characterization of these complex interfaces with atomic resolution is highly challenging. First-principles modeling could provide a link between the measurable quantities and an atomic scale understanding. However, such simulations are far from straightforward. Although approaches that include the effect of the potential and the electrolyte have been proposed, detailed validation has been scarce and ”indirect” since atomically resolved experimental studies of systems that can be convincingly simulated are scarce. We introduce here the adsorption of pyridine on Au(111) as a convenient and relevant model: the adsorption mode of pyridine switches as a function of the electrochemical potential. We demonstrate that the primitive surface charging model gives qualitatively correct results at a low complexity. For quantitative agreement, however, the model needs to include a more realistic description of the electrical double layer. Approximating the latter through the linearized Poisson–Boltzmann equation leads to a quantitative improvement, lowering the error in the transition potential from 1 V to an acceptable 0.3 V. Hence, we demonstrate the qualitative usefulness of the surface charging method and the excellent agreement that can be obtained by slightly more sophisticated electrolyte models.
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Later studies revealed inaccuracies in calculating reaction energies in the vacuum approach resulting from the omission of electric field and solvation effects during the simulation.
“However, later studies revealed inaccuracies in calculating reaction energies in this approach.[34-37][38] resulting from the omission of electric field and solvation effects during the simulation.”
From Electrochemical CO <sub>2</sub> Reduction into Chemical Feedstocks: From Mechanistic Electrocatalysis Models to System Design (2019) · cites this paper as [36]
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- Authors
- Steinmann, S. N., & Sautet, P.
- Affiliations
- Lyon 1 Université (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Sautet, Philippe
- Venue
- The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2016-03-07
- Volume
- 120
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 5619-5623
- ISSN
- 1932-7447 (ISSN-L)
- 1932-7455
- OpenAlex
- W2276671738
- Cited by
- 120
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 7.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Physical Chemistry C (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Physical and Theoretical Chemistry › Electrostatics and Colloid Interactions
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Advanced Chemical Physics Studies
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Keywords
- electrochemical interfaces, first-principles modeling, pyridine adsorption, Au(111), electrochemical potential, electric double layer, linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation, electrolyte modeling, model validation
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