HYDROGEN EVOLUTION REACTION AT NICKEL BORIDE ELECTRODES IN AQUEOUS AND IN AQUEOUS METHANOLIC AND ETHANOLIC SOLUTIONS

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was investigated at nickel borid e pressed powder electrodes in aqueous and in aqueous methanolic (etha nolic) alkaline (1 M NaOH) solutions in the presence and the absence o f NaCl (0.1 M) and H3BO3 (0.1 M) at 25 degrees C by the steady-state p olarization and ac impedance techniques. The ac impedance data were an alyzed using the constant-phase element (CPE) model. It was found that the electrocatalytic behaviour of a nickel boride electrode for the H ER was the same in all the above media and that the HER proceeds via t he Volmer-Heyrovsky mechanism. The kinetic parameters of the HER were determined.