Balanced work function as a driver for facile hydrogen evolution reaction - comprehension and experimental assessment of interfacial catalytic descriptor

Zeradjanin AR, Vimalanandan A, Polymeros G, Topalov AA, Mayrhofer K, Rohwerder M (2017)

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics Royal Society of Chemistry

Publisher: ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY

Book Volume: 19

Pages Range: 17019-17027

Journal Issue: 26

DOI: 10.1039/c7cp03081a

Abstract

A major step in the development of (electro) catalysis would be the possibility to estimate accurately the energetics of adsorption processes related to reaction intermediates. Computational chemistry (e.g. using DFT) developed significantly in that direction and allowed the fast prediction of (electro) catalytic activity trends and improved the general understanding of adsorption at electrochemical interfaces. However, building a reliable and comprehensive picture of electrocatalytic reactions undoubtedly requires experimental assessment of adsorption energies. In this way, the results obtained by computational chemistry can be complemented or challenged, which often is a necessary pathway to further advance the understanding of electrochemical interfaces. In this work an interfacial descriptor of the electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction, analogue to the adsorption energy of the Had intermediate, is identified experimentally using in situ probing of the surface potentials of the metals, under conditions of continuous control of the humidity and the gas exposure. The derived activity trends give clear indication that the electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction is a consequence of an interplay between metal-hydrogen and metal-water interactions. In other words it is shown that the M-H bond formation strongly depends on the nature of the metal-water interaction. In fact, it seems that water dipoles at the metal/electrolyte interface play a critical role for electron and proton transfer in the double layer.

Authors with CRIS profile

Karl Mayrhofer Lehrstuhl für Elektrokatalyse (HIERN)

Involved external institutions

Forschungszentrum Jülich / Research Centre Jülich (FZJ) DE Germany (DE) Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH (MPIE) / Max Planck Institute for Iron Research DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Zeradjanin, A.R., Vimalanandan, A., Polymeros, G., Topalov, A.A., Mayrhofer, K., & Rohwerder, M. (2017). Balanced work function as a driver for facile hydrogen evolution reaction - comprehension and experimental assessment of interfacial catalytic descriptor. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 19(26), 17019-17027. https://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c7cp03081a

MLA:

Zeradjanin, Aleksandar R., et al. "Balanced work function as a driver for facile hydrogen evolution reaction - comprehension and experimental assessment of interfacial catalytic descriptor." Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 19.26 (2017): 17019-17027.

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