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Efficient PGM Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

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Dr. Milutin Smiljanić

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Department of Materials Chemistry, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, POBox 660, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: electrocatalysis; precious metals catalysts; hydrogen evolution reaction; oxygen reduction; electro-oxidation of small organic molecules; stability of the electrocatalysts; PGM recycling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The expression “hydrogen economy” was introduced half a century ago to describe a scenario in which the main energy carrier is hydrogen, offering innumerable environmental benefits, a secure energy supply, and a global economy. To fulfill this vision, one of the key tasks is to realize hydrogen production independent of fossil fuels. Electrochemical water splitting, in which the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) plays a vital role, presents an elegant and, more importantly, sustainable pathway for the production of high-purity hydrogen. Therefore, aside from being of broad fundamental and practical industrial importance, HER is regarded as one of the key reactions for electrocatalytic energy storage and conversion technologies. In summary, due to its global importance, HER remains one of the most extensively studied electrochemical reactions.

Platinum is the state-of-the-art electrocatalyst for HER, followed by other platinum group metals (PGMs). The superior catalytic activity of PGMs towards HER is a consequence of optimal hydrogen intermediate species binding energy, which, according to the Sabatier’s principle, must be neither too strong nor too weak. As PGMs are scarce and expensive, reaching economically feasible and sustainable usage of PGM catalysts must be achieved. This primarily implies development of active and stable catalysts with reduced PGM loadings.

This Special Issue aims to collect contributions concerned with recent advances in research on efficient PGM-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions. These include, but are not limited to, fundamental studies on model PGM catalysts, synthesis and characterization of advanced nanoparticle-based PGM catalysts, and the current state of research on novel PGM single atom catalysts.

Dr. Milutin Smiljanić
Guest Editor

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Keywords

electrocatalysis
hydrogen evolution reaction
platinum group metals
model PGM electrocatalysts
PGM nanoparticles
PGM single atom catalysts

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 882 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Atoms vs. Ions: Intermediates in Reversible Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

by Jurga Juodkazytė, Kȩstutis Juodkazis and Saulius Juodkazis

Catalysts 2021, 11(9), 1135; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11091135 - 21 Sep 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3625

Abstract

We present a critical analysis of the mechanism of

r e v e r s i b l e

hydrogen evolution reaction based on thermodynamics of hydrogen processes considering atomic and ionic species as intermediates. Clear distinction between molecular hydrogen evolution/oxidation (H

_{2}

[...] Read more.

We present a critical analysis of the mechanism of

r e v e r s i b l e

hydrogen evolution reaction based on thermodynamics of hydrogen processes considering atomic and ionic species as intermediates. Clear distinction between molecular hydrogen evolution/oxidation (H

_{2}

ER and H

_{2}

OR) and atomic hydrogen evolution/oxidation (HER and HOR) reactions is made. It is suggested that the main reaction describing

r e v e r s i b l e

_{2}

ER and H

_{2}

OR in acidic and basic solutions is:

H_{3} O^{+} + 2 e^{-} \overset{{(H_{2}^{+})}_{a d}}{⇌} H_{2} + {OH}^{-}

and its standard potential is

E^{0}

= −0.413 V (vs. standard hydrogen electrode, SHE). We analyse experimentally reported data with models which provide a quantitative match (R.J.Kriek et al., Electrochem. Sci. Adv. e2100041 (2021)). Presented analysis implies that

r e v e r s i b l e

H₂ evolution is a two-electron transfer process which proceeds via the stage of adsorbed hydrogen molecular ion H

_{2}^{+}

as intermediate, rather than H

_{ad}

as postulated in the Volmer-Heyrovsky-Tafel mechanism. We demonstrate that in theory, two slopes of

p o t e n t i a l

vs.

\lg (c u r r e n t)

plots are feasible in the discussed reversible region of H₂ evolution:

2.3 R T / F \approx 60

mV and

2.3 R T / 2 F \approx 30

mV, which is corroborated by the results of electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution studies reported in the literature. Upon transition to

i r r e v e r s i b l e

_{2}

ER, slowdown of H

_{2}^{+}

formation in the first electron transfer stage manifests, and the slope increases to

2.3 R T / 0.5 F \approx 120

mV;

R, F, T

are the universal gas, Faraday constants and absolute temperature, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficient PGM Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction)

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Figure 1

12 pages, 3007 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Hydrogen Evolution on Reduced Graphene Oxide-Supported PdAu Nanoparticles

by Lazar Rakočević, Irina Srejić, Aleksandar Maksić, Jelena Golubović and Svetlana Štrbac

Catalysts 2021, 11(4), 481; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11040481 - 9 Apr 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2945

Abstract

Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was investigated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-supported Au and PdAu nanoparticles in acid solution. The graphene spread over glassy carbon (rGO/GC) was used as a support for the spontaneous deposition of Au and Pd. The resulting Au/rGO and PdAu/rGO electrodes were characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. Phase AFM images have shown that the edges of the rGO sheets were active sites for the deposition of both Au and Pd. XPS analysis revealed that the atomic percentages of both Au and PdAu nanoparticles were slightly higher than 1%. The activity of the PdAu/rGO electrode for the HER was remarkably high, with the overpotential close to zero. HER activity was stable over a 3 h testing time, with a low Tafel slope of approx. −46 mV/dec achieved after prolonged hydrogen evolution at a constant potential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficient PGM Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction)

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