Strain Effect on Electrolytic Hydrogen Isotope Separation

The effect of strain in Pt and Pd monolayer catalyst is explored for electrolytic hydrogen isotope separation. Positive/negative strain increases/decreases strength of adsorbed hydrogen bond in overpotential region where recombination of hydrogen atoms is the rate determining step in hydrogen evolution reaction. As a result, the increased/decreased hydrogen isotope separation efficiency of Pt and Pd monolayers is expected as compared to bulk Pt and Pd. The positive/negative strain rises/lowers diffusion barrier for adsorbed hydrogen atoms. This effect favors/retards recombination of isotopes with smaller mass. As the surface is stretched/compressed, the neighboring adsorption sites separate/approach each other which affects heavier hydrogen isotopes more/less and results in their lower/higher probability for recombination. All these fundamental consideration indicate that Pt and Pd monolayers with different level of strain should have much different separation factors than corresponding bulk electrodes. To study described effects, Pt and Pd monolayers we synthesized electrochemically on Au(111) and Ru(0001) electrodes each yielding qualitatively different strain levels (Au-positive, Ru-negative). Pd monolayers are synthesized using electrodeposition[1] while Pt monolayers were synthesized using deposition via surface limited redox replacement reaction[2]. The adsorption strength of hydrogen isotopes is studied by infra-red spectroscopy. These results will are input in our classical models for isotope separation[3] and to our DFT calculations. The calculated ratio between the rates of hydrogen and deuterium recombination and separation factors for Pt and Pd monolayers and corresponding bulk electrodes are compared to experimentally measured ones. The following discussion is focused on understanding and quantification of strain effects on separation efficiency of Pt and Pd monolayers. [1] H. –F. Waibel, M. Kleinert, L. A. Kibler, and D. M. Kolb, Electrochim. Acta, 47, 1461 (2002). [2] S. R. Brankovic, J. X. Wang and R.R. Adzic, Surface Science, 474, L173 (2001). [3] B. E. Conway, Proceedings of The Royal Society of London, A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 247, 400 (1958).