Dual-function aerogel electrocatalyst enabling efficient hydrogen production and ambient-temperature hydrogen...

The rapid advancement of hydrogen technologies requires reliable, low-power sensors capable of operating under ambient conditions. This study introduces a bioeconomy-derived aerogel-based electrocatalyst developed for efficient electrochemical hydrogen production and sensing. Optical investigations revealed that the aerogel-coated poly(ANi-co-Py) composite exhibited increased direct and indirect band gaps. This observation indicates that the aerogel-coated poly(ANi-co-Py) composite exhibited favourable conductivity, a crucial characteristic for hydrogen production and sensing applications. The charge transfer resistance (Rct) for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was measured at 1473.71 Ω, indicating enhanced electrocatalytic activity that promotes a more efficient reaction with decreased resistance. The synthesised composite demonstrated an exceptional hydrogen evolution rate of 111.58 μmol g^-1.s^-1, due to its irregular structure and the π∗-π∗ synergistic effect arising from the formation of the poly(ANi-co-Py) composite inside the aerogel matrix. The aerogel-coated poly(ANi-co-Py) composite sensor had a response sensitivity of 6.96 μA.M^-1, indicating a rapid linear concentration response throughout the range of 0-2.5 M H₂. The created sensor exhibits low extreme characteristics, with a reaction time of 0.3 s and a recovery time of 0.6 s, with an extreme detection limit of 4.0691 μM. This research showed that aerogel-coated poly(ANi-co-Py) composite provides valuable insights into development of electrochemical hydrogen production and sensing.