Metal-Support Interactions via Multidimensional Regulation in Key Electrocatalytic Reactions

Abstract

Metal-Support Interactions (MSI) plays a pivotal role in boosting electrocatalytic performance by optimizing the electronic state of metal active sites and stabilizing them in different supports, thereby optimizing electron transfer kinetics and adsorption/desorption behavior of reaction intermediates. Hence, this review systematically elaborates on the MSI regulatory mechanisms of diverse support types and their microstates, along with its typical electrocatalytic applications. For support microstates: different crystal phases tune MSI strength via lattice arrangement differences; specific exposed crystal facets strengthen metal-support electronic coupling through lattice matching and surface coordination; vacancy defects in support serve as a key means for electronic state regulation to finely adjust MSI strength; atom doping in support significantly modulates MSI nature by altering interfacial electron transfer efficiency and constructing stable coordination structures. In electrocatalytic applications, MSI exerts critical regulatory effects and is widely applied in key reactions including catalytic water splitting (HER/OER), fuel cell-related reactions (HOR/ORR), carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR), nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), and small organic molecule oxidation. Therefore, this review systematically clarifies the multi-dimensional regulatory rules of support properties (type, crystal phase, facet, vacancies, doping) on MSI, and provides theoretical and practical guidance for the design and performance optimization of atomically dispersed catalysts