Proton dynamics in water confined at the interface of the graphene-MXene heterostructure

Heterostructures of 2D materials offer a fertile ground to study ion transport and charge storage. Here, we use ab initio molecular dynamics to examine the proton-transfer/diffusion and redox behavior in a water layer confined in the graphene-Ti3C2O2 heterostructure. We find that in comparison with the similar interface of water confined between Ti3C2O2 layers, the proton redox rate in the dissimilar interface of graphene-Ti3C2O2 is much higher, owing to the very different interfacial structure as well as the interfacial electric field induced by an electron transfer in the latter. Water molecules in the dissimilar interface of the graphene-Ti3C2O2 heterostructure form a denser hydrogen-bond network with a preferred orientation of water molecules, leading to an increase in proton mobility with proton concentration in the graphene-Ti3C2O2 interface. As the proton concentration further increases, proton mobility decreases due to increasingly more frequent surface redox events that slow down proton mobility due to binding with surface O atoms. Our work provides important insights into how the dissimilar interface and their associated interfacial structure and properties impact proton transfer and redox in the confined space.

Automated summary

The study used ab initio molecular dynamics to investigate proton transfer/diffusion and redox behavior in a water layer confined within the graphene-Ti3C2O2 heterostructure, finding different interface structures and electric fields impacted proton redox rate. Water molecules in the graphene-Ti3C2O2 interface formed a denser hydrogen-bond network with preferred orientation, increasing proton mobility initially but decreasing with higher proton concentration due to surface redox events binding with surface O atoms. Insights were provided on how dissimilar interfaces and their properties affect proton transfer and redox in confined spaces.