Hydrogen evolution reaction on bimetallic Ir/Pt(poly) electrodes in alkaline solution

• Published in: Electrochimica acta Vol. 306; pp. 18 - 27
• Main Authors: Štrbac, Svetlana, Smiljanić, Milutin, Wakelin, Thomas, Potočnik, Jelena, Rakočević, Zlatko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 20.05.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: AFM; Atomic force microscopy; Bimetals; Electrodes; FESEM; Field emission microscopy; Hydrogen evolution; Hydrogen evolution reactions; Iridium; Microscopy; Photoelectrons; Platinum; Scanning electron microscopy; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy; XPS; AFM; XPS; Iridium; Platinum; Hydrogen evolution; FESEM
• ISSN: 0013-4686; 1873-3859
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2019.03.100

Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was studied in alkaline solution on Pt(poly) electrode modified by spontaneously deposited Ir nanoislands. Comprehensive insight into the characteristics of the bimetallic Ir/Pt(poly) catalysts was obtained by a combination of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and classical electrochemical techniques. HER investigations have shown that the presence of spontaneously deposited Ir enhances the activity of bare Pt(poly) in alkaline solution. This was attributed to the heterogeneity of the active surface sites and to the electronic interaction between two metals in close contact which together facilitated the adsorption of the H intermediate species. [Display omitted] •Bimetallic Ir/Pt(poly) electrodes were prepared by spontaneous deposition.•Ir/Pt(poly) electrodes were characterized by AFM, FESEM and XPS.•The highest activity for HER in alkaline solution was obtained on 80% Ir/Pt(poly).•Enhanced HER activity was ascribed to the synergistic effect.