Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is the cathodic half-reaction in which protons or water are reduced to molecular hydrogen at an electrode. On platinum the exchange current is high and the overpotential small; the search for cheaper catalysts therefore concentrates on earth-abundant transition metals and their compounds, and bifunctional materials that also drive the oxygen evolution reaction simplify the overall device [1]. Two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides have been examined as a class with a tunable surface and metallic conductivity [2]. Nickel chalcogenides, nickel selenide among them, reach appreciable activity in alkaline media [3]. Which phase is actually present under operation is not always the one that was synthesised, and in situ and operando measurements on nickel-based catalysts have shown the near-surface region reconstructing under cathodic bias [4]. Doping a metal phosphide with a second cation modifies the electronic structure and the hydrogen binding energy together, which is how samarium-doped nickel phosphide is understood [5].
- electrocatalyst
- overpotential
- volmer step
- hydrogen binding energy
- alkaline electrolysis
- water splitting
- earth-abundant metal
References
- Jamesh, M.I.; Recent progress on earth abundant hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting in alkaline media. Journal of Power Sources 2016, 333, 213-236, 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.09.161.
- Zhang, X.; Verma, R.; Bofang, H.; Verma, S.K.; Haiqiang, B.; Madhusudan, P.; MXene-based electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction: Innovations and advances – A review. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2026, 267, 157036, 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2026.157036.
- Bhat, K.S.; Nagaraja, H.; Nickel selenide nanostructures as an electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2018, 43, 19851-19863, 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.09.018.
- Kenry; Liu, B.; When In Situ Techniques Meet Nickel-Based Electrocatalyst in Hydrogen Evolution Reaction. Chem 2017, 3, 19-21, 10.1016/j.chempr.2017.06.011.
- Shahroudi, A.; Habibzadeh, S.; Enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction activity through samarium-doped nickel phosphide (Ni2P) electrocatalyst. Scientific Reports 2024, 14, 16818, 10.1038/s41598-024-66775-7.