Design and Analysis of Carbon‐Supported NiMo HER Catalysts and Electrodes for High Performance All PGM‐Free AEM Electrolysers

ABSTRACT The influence of the nature of carbon‐support materials on the structure and the electrochemical performance of NiMo cathode catalysts is investigated. Carbon materials addressed in this study include Ketjen Black, Vulcan and MWCNT‐COOH. A one pot, easily scalable, hydrothermal microwave sy...

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Main Authors: Lukas Heinius, Malte Klingenhof, Gregor Weiser, Pierre Schröer, Lukas Metzler, Susanne Koch, Sören Selve, Severin Vierrath, Peter Strasser
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-VCH 2025-06-01
Series:Electrochemical Science Advances
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/elsa.202400027
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author Lukas Heinius
Malte Klingenhof
Gregor Weiser
Pierre Schröer
Lukas Metzler
Susanne Koch
Sören Selve
Severin Vierrath
Peter Strasser
author_facet Lukas Heinius
Malte Klingenhof
Gregor Weiser
Pierre Schröer
Lukas Metzler
Susanne Koch
Sören Selve
Severin Vierrath
Peter Strasser
author_sort Lukas Heinius
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT The influence of the nature of carbon‐support materials on the structure and the electrochemical performance of NiMo cathode catalysts is investigated. Carbon materials addressed in this study include Ketjen Black, Vulcan and MWCNT‐COOH. A one pot, easily scalable, hydrothermal microwave synthesis with a subsequent hydrogen reduction step was applied for the preparation of the catalyst materials. The structures and compositions of the catalysts were characterized by TEM/SEM, XRD, ICP‐OES, BET and STEM‐EDX. The performance of the catalysts was tested using rotating disc electrode (RDE) and anion exchange membrane (AEM) single‐cell electrolyser to downselect the most active material. The influence of pH, catalyst loading and type of carbon support was investigated to optimize the operating conditions. By increasing the KOH concentration from 0.1 to 1 M in an AEM electrolysis cell, the current density could be more than doubled, whereas the introduction of a carbon support raised the current density by a factor of seven. Finally, it is demonstrated how applying a novel bar‐coating preparation of the electrodes in a PGM‐free AEM electrolyser enabled a favourable current density of 1 A cm−2 at 2.04 V. This performance is comparable to earlier systems but requires only a fraction of the catalyst loading.
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spelling doaj-art-668ea52f5d3d4d03aa224a4d715f49ec2025-08-20T03:16:42ZengWiley-VCHElectrochemical Science Advances2698-59772025-06-0153n/an/a10.1002/elsa.202400027Design and Analysis of Carbon‐Supported NiMo HER Catalysts and Electrodes for High Performance All PGM‐Free AEM ElectrolysersLukas Heinius0Malte Klingenhof1Gregor Weiser2Pierre Schröer3Lukas Metzler4Susanne Koch5Sören Selve6Severin Vierrath7Peter Strasser8The Electrochemical Energy, Catalysis, and Materials Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Division Technical University Berlin Berlin GermanyThe Electrochemical Energy, Catalysis, and Materials Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Division Technical University Berlin Berlin GermanyThe Electrochemical Energy, Catalysis, and Materials Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Division Technical University Berlin Berlin GermanyThe Electrochemical Energy, Catalysis, and Materials Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Division Technical University Berlin Berlin GermanyElectrochemical Energy Systems IMTEK—Department of Microsystems Engineering University of Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau GermanyElectrochemical Energy Systems IMTEK—Department of Microsystems Engineering University of Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau GermanyCenter for Electron Microscopy (ZELMI) Technical University Berlin Berlin GermanyElectrochemical Energy Systems IMTEK—Department of Microsystems Engineering University of Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau GermanyThe Electrochemical Energy, Catalysis, and Materials Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Division Technical University Berlin Berlin GermanyABSTRACT The influence of the nature of carbon‐support materials on the structure and the electrochemical performance of NiMo cathode catalysts is investigated. Carbon materials addressed in this study include Ketjen Black, Vulcan and MWCNT‐COOH. A one pot, easily scalable, hydrothermal microwave synthesis with a subsequent hydrogen reduction step was applied for the preparation of the catalyst materials. The structures and compositions of the catalysts were characterized by TEM/SEM, XRD, ICP‐OES, BET and STEM‐EDX. The performance of the catalysts was tested using rotating disc electrode (RDE) and anion exchange membrane (AEM) single‐cell electrolyser to downselect the most active material. The influence of pH, catalyst loading and type of carbon support was investigated to optimize the operating conditions. By increasing the KOH concentration from 0.1 to 1 M in an AEM electrolysis cell, the current density could be more than doubled, whereas the introduction of a carbon support raised the current density by a factor of seven. Finally, it is demonstrated how applying a novel bar‐coating preparation of the electrodes in a PGM‐free AEM electrolyser enabled a favourable current density of 1 A cm−2 at 2.04 V. This performance is comparable to earlier systems but requires only a fraction of the catalyst loading.https://doi.org/10.1002/elsa.202400027AEM‐electrolysishydrogen evolution reactionnickel molybdenumsupported catalystswater splitting
spellingShingle Lukas Heinius
Malte Klingenhof
Gregor Weiser
Pierre Schröer
Lukas Metzler
Susanne Koch
Sören Selve
Severin Vierrath
Peter Strasser
Design and Analysis of Carbon‐Supported NiMo HER Catalysts and Electrodes for High Performance All PGM‐Free AEM Electrolysers
Electrochemical Science Advances
AEM‐electrolysis
hydrogen evolution reaction
nickel molybdenum
supported catalysts
water splitting
title Design and Analysis of Carbon‐Supported NiMo HER Catalysts and Electrodes for High Performance All PGM‐Free AEM Electrolysers
title_full Design and Analysis of Carbon‐Supported NiMo HER Catalysts and Electrodes for High Performance All PGM‐Free AEM Electrolysers
title_fullStr Design and Analysis of Carbon‐Supported NiMo HER Catalysts and Electrodes for High Performance All PGM‐Free AEM Electrolysers
title_full_unstemmed Design and Analysis of Carbon‐Supported NiMo HER Catalysts and Electrodes for High Performance All PGM‐Free AEM Electrolysers
title_short Design and Analysis of Carbon‐Supported NiMo HER Catalysts and Electrodes for High Performance All PGM‐Free AEM Electrolysers
title_sort design and analysis of carbon supported nimo her catalysts and electrodes for high performance all pgm free aem electrolysers
topic AEM‐electrolysis
hydrogen evolution reaction
nickel molybdenum
supported catalysts
water splitting
url https://doi.org/10.1002/elsa.202400027
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