Nanostructured Pd/Ag/Ni electrocatalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

As palladium is the one of the most effective electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction, it is crucial the development of new catalysts that require small amounts of palladium to perform, but that are highly active. In this work, the electrochemical characterization of a novel electrode with low palladium content is reported, where Pd nanoparticles are supported on macroporous nickel electrodes that contain silver nanoparticles previously electrodeposited on the surface, which after heat-treatment become rich in corners and edges. The values of η100 (overpotential needed to produce a fixed amount of hydrogen) and jm (indicative of catalytic activity per unit mass of metal nanoparticles) improved (for example, at 80 °C, a η100 of 109.9 mV and a jm of 12587 A·g−1) those of other authors who applied bimetallic AgPd nanoparticles for the HER, showing that the incorporation of nanostructures (Pd over Ag) significantly reduced the energy investment required to produce hydrogen due to synergistic effects between the deposited Pd particles and the electrodeposited silver, enhancing the catalytic activity.