DEVELOPMENT OF FE-CO-W ALLOYS AS CATHODE MATERIALS FOR FUEL-CELL APPLICATION

Fe-Co-W alloy have been developed by cuing suitable bath solution and plating conditions. The alloys are characterised for ase as stable and low hydrogen overvoltage cathode material for the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline solution. The developed alloys (Fe:Co:W 20:68:12) exhibited an overpotential of 0.120V for about 80 hrs of continuous e lectrolysis in 30% KOH at a ed of 100 mA/cm(2) and temperature 343K. E lectrocatalytic activity was found to vary with composition and struct ure of the alloy deposits. X-ray diffraction and cyclic voltammetric s tudies revealed the existence of several phases in the alloy. Impedanc e studies at different temperatures and overpotentials indicated the t emperature dependence of the HER reaction mechanism, desorption of the intermediate species and electron transfer on the surface, each one c ompeting depending on the experimental conditions. This has been furth er confirmed by the electrochemical parameters observed.