Direct electrodeposition of platinum nanoparticles@graphene oxide@nickel-copper@nickel foam electrode as a durable and cost-effective catalyst with remarkable performance for electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction

Development of high-performance catalyst materials with superior activity is among the high challenges in hydrogen production. In this study, the platinum nanoparticles@graphene oxide@nickel-copper@nickel foam (Pt@GO@Ni-Cu@NF) electrode was fabricated using the electrodeposition method. The synthesized electrode demonstrated a high electrocatalytic activity and superior stability in alkaline solution. The required over-potentials for delivering 10, 20, and 100 mA cm(-2) were 31, 50, and 128 mV vs. RHE, respectively. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) mechanism, affording to the Tafel slope (51 mV dec(-1)), was Volmer-Heyrovsky mechanism. The electrode was stable at 100 mA cm(-2) after 50 h. The high stability and electrocatalytic activity for HER of the Pt@GO@Ni-Cu@NF electrode were assigned to the dendrite Ni-Cu structure and the high electrochemical surface area of the GO nanolayers (2600), as well as its hydrophilic properties, intrinsic properties of the Pt nanoparticles with a dimension of 20-40 nm, and lower H-2 bubble size. Because of the excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability, this study introduces an effective electrode material for the large-scale hydrogen production industry.