Electrochemical Deposition and Characterization of Ni-Mo Alloys as Cathode for Alkaline Water Electrolysis

In this study, Ni-Mo alloy coatings were electrochemically deposited on a copper plate in citrate solutions. The effects of Ni/Mo mole ratio in the electrolyte and pH value on hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as well as the electrochemical stability were investigated in the alkaline solution for electrodeposited NiMo. The electrocatalytic activity of the fabricated NiMo alloys for HER in alkaline solutions was investigated by the polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The morphology and chemical composition of the electrodeposited Ni-Mo were investigated using SEM and EDS analyses. It was found that NiMo electrode with the highest molybdenum content (ca. 38 wt.%) and high surface area show high electrocatalytic activity in the HER. This was produced from a bath with a pH of 9.5, Ni/Mo ratio of 1/10 and 0.5 M sodium citrate concentration. The stability of this coating was tested by polarization measurements after different anodic and cathodic treatment in 1 M NaOH solution. The open circuit potential (E-ocp) of the electrode as a function of immersion time was also measured.