Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution from neutral water by molecular cobalt tripyridine–diamine complexes

Abstract

A cobalt complex with a tripyridine–diamine pentadentate ligand was found to be a highly active catalyst for electrochemical H₂ production from neutral water, with an activity of 860 mol H₂ (mol cat)⁻¹ h⁻¹ (cm² Hg)⁻¹ over 60 h CPE experiment at −1.25 V in a pH 7 phosphate buffer solution, without considerable deactivation.