Plasmon-Driven Reorientation of Interfacial Water for Wastewater Electrolysis with Light-Emitting Diode Illumination

Abstract

Regulating the orientation and dynamics of interfacial water is essential for optimizing electrocatalytic reactions, yet it remains challenging due to its intrinsic disorder. Here, it is demonstrated that localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) on an Ir single-atom Au catalyst actively restructures the hydrogen-bond (HB) network, accelerating ammonia oxidation reaction kinetics. In situ Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations reveal that plasmonic excitation shifts the HB network toward a more flexible configuration, favoring the formation of three-coordinated hydrogen-bonded water (3HB<middle dot>H2O) while suppressing cation-associated species (K+<middle dot>H2O). This transformation enhances the dehydrogenation process and stabilizes reaction intermediates, leading to a 28% increase in NH3 oxidation kinetics. Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy further confirms that LSPR-driven polarization at the Ir active site compresses the Ir & horbar;O bond from 1.73 to approximate to 1.58 & Aring; by generating electron vacancies, thereby accelerating deprotonation with *OH during oxidative electrolysis. Extending this principle to an LED-driven plasmon-assisted symmetric wastewater electrolyzer, achieving a 40-fold current enhancement and 94% ammonia removal efficiency over 120 h at 1 V under landfill leachate-like conditions.