Electrolytic Synthesis and Characterization of Electrocatalytic Ni-W Alloy

Abstract

Inspired by the more positive (about 0.38 V nobler) discharge potential of hydrogen on Ni-W alloy compared to that on both Ni and W, a Ni-W alloy has been developed electrolytically as an efficient electrode material for water electrolysis. The deposition conditions, for peak performance of the electrodeposits for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 1.0 M KOH medium have been optimized. Electrocatalytic activity of the coatings, deposited at different current densities (c.d.’s) for water splitting reactions of HER and OER was tested by cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentiometry. It was found that Ni-W alloys deposited, at 4.0 A/dm2 (having about 12.49 wt.% W) and 1.0 A/dm2 (having about 0.95 wt.% W) are good electrode materials as cathode (for HER) and anode (for OER), respectively. A dependency of the electrocatalytic activity for HER and OER with relative amount of Ni and W, in the deposit was found. The variation of electrocatalytic activity with W content showed the existence of a synergism between high-catalytic property of W (due to low hydrogen overvoltage) and Ni (having increased adsorption of OH? ions), for hydrogen (as cathode) and oxygen (as anode) evolution, respectively. Electrocatalytic activities of the coatings, developed at different c.d.’s were explained in the light of their phase structure, surface morphology, and chemical composition, confirmed by XRD, FESEM, and EDX analysis. The effect of c.d. on thickness, hardness, composition, HER, and OER was analyzed, and results were discussed with possible mechanisms. © 2015, ASM International.