Nickel-cerium electrodes for hydrogen evolution in alkaline water electrolysis

Abstract

The electrocatalytic activity of nickel-cerium (Ni-Ce) alloys towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline solution has been evaluated. Ni-Ce alloy electrodes with different low amounts of the rare earth element were prepared and tested in 8 M KOH aqueous electrolytes at temperatures ranging from 25 to 85 °C. Polarization measurements are done to evaluate the HER on the Ni-Ce alloy electrodes and to determine several kinetic parameters, namely the Tafel coefficients, charge-transfer coefficients, and exchange current densities, allowing a direct comparison of the intrinsic HER activity of these electrodes with single Ni metal electrode prepared according to the same procedures. © The Electrochemical Society.