Accelerating electrochemical hydrogen evolution kinetics in alkaline media using LaNi5 as a hydrogen reservoir

Abstract

Here, we report that the hydrogen evolution performance of a series of electrocatalysts with positive hydrogen adsorption energy ΔG_H* (Ni₂P, Ag, and Cu) can be enhanced by introducing LaNi₅ as a cocatalyst. The enhancement is attributed to the synergy that LaNi₅ enriches the adsorption of the hydrogen intermediate while the ΔG_H* > 0 component provides active sites for hydrogen formation.