Application of Pd-Substituted Ni-Al Layered Double Hydroxides for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Production of hydrogen from electrochemical water splitting is known as a green method of fuel production. In this work, electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was investigated for newly prepared layered double hydroxides (LDH) in acidic solution. NiAl LDH/CB (carbon black) LDH was monitored using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The substitution of nickel ions with palladium ones was recorded using Energy dispersive X–ray spectroscopy (EDX). Moreover, the NiAl-LDH/CB and palladium substituted LDH were examined for the HER at different times of substitution. The modified NiAl LDH/CB/Pd/GCE (glass carbon electrode) represented low overpotential of -0.55 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), Tafel slope of 125 mV/dec, charge transfer coefficient of 0.47, exchange current of 2.56 μA, as well as excellent long-term stability. Moreover, the substitution effect of palladium ions on the modification of prepared LDH GCE was satisfactorily studied for the HER in 0.5 mol L-1 H2SO4 using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).