Recent Advances in Built-in Electric Field for Efficient Energy Electrocatalysis

Built-in electric field (BIEF) engineering has emerged as a pivotal strategy for enhancing electrocatalytic performance by tailoring interfacial charge redistribution in heterojunctions. As an innovative approach, BIEF engineering demonstrates remarkable potential in accelerating charge transport, optimizing intermediate adsorption/desorption, enhancing catalyst conductivity, and tailoring local reaction microenvironments. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advancements in BIEF-driven electrocatalysts, providing an overview of their fundamental mechanisms and pivotal advantages. First, electrocatalysts capable of forming BIEF are classified, and the representative geometric characteristics are discussed. Then, the techniques for characterizing BIEF are systematically summed up, including the direction and intensity analysis. Additionally, the positive effects of BIEF on the catalytic properties are highlighted and elaborated. Finally, this review offers an outlook on the future directions in this emerging field, aiming to offer a reference for the blossoming of advanced BIEF-driven electrocatalysts.