Influence of surface oxidation on the catalytic activity of topological quantum materials

Abstract

Topological quantum materials (TQMs) have been extensively studied due to their exotic properties, as predicted by theory and confirmed by experiments. These properties, particularly protected surface states and high charge carrier mobility, make them promising candidates for applications where electron transport is crucial, such as catalysis. Recently, various TQMs have been experimentally demonstrated to enhance water splitting reactions, specifically the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), by establishing a correlation between topological surface states and catalytic activity. However, surface phenomena at the interface are complex and highly sensitive to factors such as surface termination, defects induced during exfoliation, and surface chemical reactivity. Therefore, further experimental and theoretical investigations are required to understand how surface reactivity influences the catalytic performance of TQMs. In this perspective, we analyse key studies on TQM-based catalysts, highlighting the role of surface modification, particularly surface oxidation, in catalytic activity.