Studies on Structure and Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution of Nanocrystalline Ni‐Mo‐Fe Alloy Electrodeposit Electrodes

AbstractNanocrystalline Ni‐Mo‐Fe alloy deposits were obtained by electrode‐position. The structures of the alloy deposits were analyzed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XRD results of nanocrystalline Ni‐Mo‐Fe alloy deposit show that many diffraction lines disappear, and that there is only one diffraction peak at 44.0°. The XPS results of nanocrystalline Ni‐Mo‐Fe alloy deposits indicate that the nickel, molybdenum and iron of the deposits exist in metallic state, and that the binding energy of the alloyed elements increases to some extent. The nanocrystalline Ni‐Mo‐Fe alloy deposit electrode may offer better electrocatalytic activity than the polycrystalline nickel electrode and the nanocrystalline Ni‐Mo alloy electrode. The electrochemical impedance spectra from the nanocrystalline Ni‐Mo‐Fe alloy electrode indicate that hydrogen evolution in 30% (m/m) KOH at lower overpotential is in accordance with the Vohner‐Tafel mechanism, but with the Vohner‐Heyrovsky mechanism at higher overpotential.