Issue 32, 2024

Design and fabrication of intermetallic NiCo electrocatalysts for the alkaline HER

Abstract

The design and fabrication of highly efficient electrocatalysts are crucial for reducing energy consumption, improving hydrogen production rates, and prolonging the service life of alkaline electrolyzers. In this study, intermetallic L10-NiCo electrocatalysts were designed using DFT calculations and fabricated through a one-step solid-state reaction method. The DFT calculations indicated that L10-NiCo presented a lower H adsorption Gibbs free energy and a moderate H2O dissociation barrier compared to the commonly used Ni catalyst and disordered NiCo alloy. Increasing the solid-state reaction temperature facilitated the formation of intermetallic L10-NiCo. Electrocatalytic tests for the alkaline HER demonstrated that the ECSA of L10-NiCo nanoparticles increased to 2.3 times, the overpotential decreased by 19%, the electrocatalytic activity increased to 1.5 times, and the stability improved to 2.2 times compared to those of the Ni nanoparticles. This research provides insights into the design and fabrication of highly efficient catalytic electrodes for alkaline electrolyzers.

Graphical abstract: Design and fabrication of intermetallic NiCo electrocatalysts for the alkaline HER

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
19 Jun 2024
Accepted
23 Jul 2024
First published
23 Jul 2024

Nanoscale, 2024,16, 15148-15157

Design and fabrication of intermetallic NiCo electrocatalysts for the alkaline HER

C. Wu, X. Wang, M. Huang, C. Meng, L. Chang, D. Xu and W. Pei, Nanoscale, 2024, 16, 15148 DOI: 10.1039/D4NR02519A

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