Nickel nano-network facilitates short-path hydrogen spillover for efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution with...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Oxide-supported catalysts often suffer from poor electrical conductivity and isolated active sites.
• These limitations restrict their efficiency in hydrogen evolution reactions (HER), especially at high current densities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient alkaline HER catalyst that overcomes the limitations of traditional oxide-supported catalysts.
• To enhance hydrogen evolution reaction activity and stability under high current densities.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized a nano-network catalyst composed of nickel (Ni) nanoparticles grown on molybdenum dioxide (MoO2) nanowires.
• Investigated the catalyst's performance in alkaline media for the hydrogen evolution reaction.

Main Results:

• The Ni nano-network on MoO2 nanowires facilitated short-path hydrogen spillover and rapid electron transfer.
• Achieved a high current density of 1000 mA cm-2 at a low overpotential of 165 mV.
• Demonstrated remarkable stability under high current densities.

Conclusions:

• The developed nano-network catalyst significantly enhances HER activity and stability in alkaline electrolytes.
• This approach offers a promising strategy for designing efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen production.