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Ethanol-Induced Hydrogen Insertion in Ultrafine IrPdH Boosts pH-Universal Hydrogen Evolution
Dayu Wang1, Xian Jiang2, Zijing Lin1
1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Power Batteries, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|August 8, 2022
Summary
Developing new platinum-free catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for efficient hydrogen production. This study introduces an ultrafine IrPdH hydride catalyst, activated by hydrogen intercalation, demonstrating superior HER activity and stability across all pH levels.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Developing efficient and stable platinum-free catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is critical for electrochemical hydrogen production.
- Traditional palladium-based catalysts often exhibit inferior HER activity, necessitating novel activation strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer an ultrafine palladium-iridium hydride (IrPdH) catalyst with enhanced HER activity and stability.
- To explore a novel in situ chemical hydrogen intercalation strategy using ethanol as a hydrogen source.
Main Methods:
- In situ chemical hydrogen intercalation into ultrafine palladium.
- Utilizing ethanol as a hydrogen resource for catalyst synthesis.
- Electrochemical characterization across a wide pH range (acidic, alkaline, neutral).
- Theoretical calculations (density functional theory) to elucidate the catalytic mechanism.
Main Results:
- The synthesized IrPdH hydride catalyst demonstrated significantly improved HER activity and stability compared to commercial Pt/C.
- Achieved low overpotentials of 14 mV (0.5 M H2SO4), 25 mV (1 M KOH), and 60 mV (1 M PBS) at 10 mA cm-2.
- Confirmed that hydrogen atoms originate from ethanol's hydroxyl and methylene groups, validating ethanol as a viable hydrogen source for palladium hydride preparation.
- Theoretical calculations revealed that interstitial hydrogen optimizes the electronic structure of Pd and Ir sites, enhancing hydrogen adsorption.
Conclusions:
- The ultrafine IrPdH hydride is a highly efficient and stable electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction in the entire pH range.
- The in situ hydrogen intercalation strategy using ethanol provides a new pathway for preparing advanced HER electrocatalysts.
- The enhanced performance is attributed to the synergistic effects of incorporated H/Ir atoms and the ultrafine nanostructure, leading to optimized electronic properties.
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