Hydrogen evolution reaction in PTFE bonded Raney-Ni electrodes

This study is concerned with the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in several PTFE bonded Raney-Ni electrodes as function of temperature and treatments. The Mo-doped Raney-Ni catalysts are activated by hours of long cathodic polarization interleaved with few deep "charge - discharge" (polarity reversal) cycles. Moreover, the HER efficiency of the electrode requires additives which enhance conductivity and surface properties: with powders of Ni alloys (Ni-Ti, Ni-Cr, Ni-Fe) the electrode becomes also more stable, and almost insensitive to polarity reversal. The main effect of a temperature increase is the reduction of the Tafel slope, which is about 120 mV/dec at 25 degrees C, and about 60 mV/dec at 60 degrees C. A proper choice of additives yield electrodes which withstand polarity reversal and may be used in electrolysers which are intermittently operated, or have anodes which require periodic in situ re-activation by reduction. Copyright (C) 2011, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.