Location-dependent effect of spectator cations on the hydrogen evolution reaction
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Updated: Nov 5, 2026
![Protein Film Infrared Electrochemistry Demonstrated for Study of H2 Oxidation by a [NiFe] Hydrogenase](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F55858.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
Protein Film Infrared Electrochemistry Demonstrated for Study of H2 Oxidation by a [NiFe] Hydrogenase
Published on: December 4, 2017
Mohamed Okasha1, Saikiran S Khamgaonkar1, Vivek Maheshwari1
1Department of Chemistry, The Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Av. W., Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada. vmaheshw@uwaterloo.ca.
Abstract:
Incorporating alkaline earth metal cations (Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+) into the Stern layer of Au and Au-Pt chain-like nanoparticle catalysts via a self-assembly process has been found to modulate alkaline and acidic HERs by tuning both water adsorption/desorption and OH- desorption via hard-soft acid-base (HSAB)-governed interfacial interactions. By independently varying the cations in the Stern layer and the diffuse layer, a distinct effect is observed on the HER. The results demonstrate that cations in the Stern layer and the diffuse layer may modulate distinct elementary steps in the reaction and must be considered jointly when designing electrocatalysts for efficient hydrogen evolution.
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