Hydrogen evolution reaction catalyst

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10724145-B2
Application number	US-201615004737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2016
Priority date	Oct 30, 2012
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for a hydrogen evolution reaction catalyst are provided. Electrode material includes a plurality of clusters. The electrode exhibits bifunctionality with respect to the hydrogen evolution reaction. The electrode with clusters exhibits improved performance with respect to the intrinsic material of the electrode absent the clusters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of generating hydrogen comprising:
depositing a plurality of clusters comprising material selected from the group of clusters comprising metal hydroxy-oxide clusters or metal hydroxide clusters on an electrode material, the clusters covering 30-50% of the surface of the electrode;
forming a cell having a cathode comprising the deposited clusters and the electrode material, an anode, and an alkaline electrolyte;
applying a current to the cell;
interacting water with the deposited clusters;
disassociating water and producing hydrogen intermediates at the deposited clusters;
adsorbing hydrogen intermediates to the cathode surface; and
combining hydrogen intermediates to form molecular hydrogen.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises Pt, Ni, or Ir.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cathode comprises Ni.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal hydroxyl-oxide cluster comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Fe, and Mn.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein depositing further comprises depositing the plurality of clusters on a plurality of surface defects of the electrode material.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing comprises covering 35% of a surface of the electrode material with the plurality of clusters.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alkaline electrolyte comprises lithium ions.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of clusters consist essentially of Ni(OH) 2 .

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the deposited plurality of clusters have a height of about 0.7 nm and a width of about 8 nm to about 10 nm.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of clusters consist essentially of Co(OH) 2 .

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of clusters have a spheroid-like shape.

12. The method of claim 10 , Wherein the plurality of clusters have a characteristic diameter of about 7 nm to 10 nm and a height of about 0.49 nm to about 0.65 nm.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of clusters consist essentially of CoOOH.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of clusters have a spheroid-like shape.

15. The method of claim 13 , Wherein the plurality of clusters have a characteristic diameter of about 15 nm to 22 nm and a height of about 0.56 nm to about 0.58 nm.

16. A method of generating hydrogen comprising:
depositing a plurality of clusters comprising material selected from the group of clusters comprising metal hydroxy-oxide clusters or metal hydroxide clusters on a platinum-group electrode material;
forming a cell having a cathode comprising the deposited clusters and the electrode material, an anode, and an alkaline electrolyte;
applying a current to the cell;
interacting water with the deposited clusters;
disassociating water and producing hydrogen intermediates at the deposited clusters;
adsorbing hydrogen intermediates to the cathode surface; and
combining hydrogen intermediates to form molecular hydrogen.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein depositing further comprises depositing the plurality of clusters on a plurality of surface defects of the electrode material.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein depositing comprises covering 35% of a surface of the electrode material with the plurality of clusters.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of clusters consist essentially of Ni(OH) 2 .

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the deposited plurality of clusters have a height of about 0.7 nm and a width of about 8 nm to about 10 nm.

Assignees

• Uchicago Argonne Llc

Inventors

• Subbaraman Ram
• Stamenkovic Vojislav
• Markovic Nenad
• Tripkovic Dusan

Classifications

• C25B11/051

  Electrodes formed of electrocatalysts on a substrate or carrier · CPC title

• C25B11/091

  consisting of at least one catalytic element and at least one catalytic compound; consisting of two or more catalytic elements or catalytic compounds · CPC title

• C25B11/0771

  of the spinel type · CPC title

• C25B1/04 Primary

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C25B11/075 Primary

  consisting of a single catalytic element or catalytic compound · CPC title