Incorporation of Bi2O3 Residuals with Metallic Bi as High Performance Electrocatalyst toward Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Nanostructured Bismuth-based materials are promising electrodes for highly efficient electrochemical reduction processes such as hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this work, a novel sort of nanocomposite made up of partially reduced Bi2O3 into metallic Bi anchored on a 3D network of Ni-foam as a high-performance catalyst for electrochemical hydrogen reduction. The application of the hybrid material for HER is shown. The high catalytic activity of the fabricated electrocatalyst arises from the co-operative effect of Bi/Bi2O3 and Ni-foam which provides a highly effective surface area combined with the highly porous structure of Ni-foam for efficient charge and mass transport. The advantages of the electrode for the electrochemical reduction processes such as high current density, low overpotential, and high stability of the electrode are revealed. An overall comparison of our as-prepared electrocatalyst with recently reported works on related work is done.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel nanocomposite material containing partially reduced Bi2O3 into metallic Bi anchored on a 3D network of Ni-foam was prepared as a high-performance catalyst for electrochemical hydrogen reduction. The hybrid material exhibited high catalytic activity due to the cooperative effect of Bi/Bi2O3 and Ni-foam, providing effective surface area and porous structure. The advantages of the electrode, including high current density, low overpotential, and stability, were highlighted through comparisons with related works.