An efficient route for catalytic activity promotion via hybrid electro-depositional modification on commercial nickel foam for hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline water electrolysis

Abstract In this paper, the single- and hybrid-layered Cu, Ni and Co thin films were electrochemically deposited onto the three-dimensional nickel foam as composite cathode catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline water electrolysis. The morphology, structure and chemical composition of the electrodeposited composite catalysts were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Electrochemical measurement depicted that, for the case of the monometallic layered samples, the general activity for hydrogen evolution reaction followed the sequence: Ni-foam/Ni > Ni-foam/Co > bare Ni-foam > Ni-foam/Cu. It is noteworthy that, the hybrid-layered Ni-foam/Cu0.01/Co0.05 exhibited the highest catalytic activity towards hydrogen evolution reaction with the current density as high as 2.82 times that of the bare Ni-foam. Moreover, both excellent electrochemical and physical stabilities can also be acquired on the Ni-foam/Cu0.01/Co0.05, making this hybrid-layered composite structure as a promising HER electro-catalyst.