Spin‐polarized Acidic Water Electrolysis with Antenna‐Reactor Plasmonic Electrocatalysts

Abstract

Abstract Water electrolysis, driven by renewable electricity, offers a sustainable path for hydrogen production. However, efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts are needed to overcome the high overpotentials of both the oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction. To address this, a novel catalyst system is developed integrating plasmonic nanoreactors with chirality‐induced spin selectivity. In this system, chiral Au nanoparticles act as antennae, while single‐atom iridium serves as the catalytic reactor, achieving a 3.5 fold increase in reaction kinetics (at 1.57 V vs RHE) compared to commercial IrO 2 catalysts and enhancing durability by over 4.8 times relative to conventional Pt/C || IrO 2 systems. Density functional theory and operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy reveal that plasmon‐driven spin alignment polarizes the Ir atom, significantly enhancing stability (>480 h at 100 mA cm −2 ) under acidic conditions. This work represents a major advance in spin polarization for plasmonic electrocatalysis, offering a new route to sustainable energy solutions.