ELECTROCATALYTIC PROPERTIES OF DOPED NICKEL BORIDE BASED ELECTRODES FOR THE HYDROGEN EVOLUTION REACTION

Amorphous nickel boride electrodes doped by small amounts of Rh, Ru, C o, Cr, Zn or Pt were studied for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in 1 M NaOH solution at 70-degrees-C. Steady-state galvanostatic meas urements, a.c. impedance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used. The properties of the pressed electrode s and the kinetic parameters of the HER were determined. The constant phase element model adequately describes the a.c. behaviour of these e lectrodes. It was found that the HER proceeds through the Volmer-Heyro vsky mechanism. An increase in catalytic properties was observed for m aterials doped with Rh, Ru and Co.