The Influence of Different Water Models on the Vibrational Spectra of Interfacial Water at Metal Surfaces
摘要
Interfacial water (IW) plays a pivotal role in numerous physicochemical processes, including electrochemical reactions, catalysis, and energy conversion at solid-liquid interfaces. However, its microscopic structure and vibrational dynamics remain challenging to probe directly and are highly sensitive to the water model used in simulations. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed using a Pt(100) metal surface as the model system to systematically investigate the influence of three widely used water models—SPCE, TIP3P, and TIP4P—on the structural and spectral characteristics of interfacial water. The structural properties of IW were characterized by analyzing the density distribution of water molecules along the direction normal to the metal surface, while the vibrational properties were examined through terahertz (THz) spectral analysis based on molecular dynamics trajectories. The results reveal significant differences in spectral responses among the models, manifesting as distinct peak positions, intensities, and shapes in the THz spectra. These spectral features are closely linked to the structural arrangement and dynamical behavior of interfacial water, which vary depending on the specific potential energy surfaces defined by the different water models. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the microscopic structure and vibrational dynamics of IW at metal interfaces, and provide theoretical support for interpreting experimental interfacial spectroscopy data and for optimizing catalytic systems involving metal-water interactions.