3D hierarchical nanostructured NiCo-LDH/Cu electrode for efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution

Abstract

The development of an efficient and cost-effective electrocatalyst for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) that can be widely applied in industrial settings poses a multifaceted challenge. This research involved fabricating a NiCo-LDH/Cu electrode as a self-supported catalyst for hydrogen evolution on nickel foam using a solvothermal method and constant potential electrodeposition. In comparison to the NiCu electrocatalyst produced through a single-step electrodeposition, the NiCo-LDH/Cu hydrogen evolution electrode prepared via this combined approach exhibited significant electrocatalytic performance for HER in an alkaline electrolyte. The NiCo-LDH/Cu catalytic electrode requires only an overpotential of 78.0 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA·cm−2 in 1 M KOH. The current density required to catalyze the hydrogenation reaction is reduced by 64 % compared to pure nickel foam. This reduction accelerates the hydrogenation catalytic reaction and enhances electrochemical stability. The remarkable HER efficiency of the NiCo-LDH/Cu catalytic electrode primarily stems from the increased active surface area facilitated by the LDH structure and the synergistic impact generated during the NiCu co-deposition process. This work shows an economical and practical method for developing efficient non-precious metal catalytic electrodes.