The role of an interface in stabilizing reaction intermediates for hydrogen evolution in aprotic electrolytes
Ivano E. Castelli, Milena Zorko, Thomas Østergaard, Pedro Farinazzo Bergamo Dias Martins, Pietro P. Lopes, Byron K. Antonopoulos, Filippo Maglia, Nenad M. Marković, Dušan Strmčnik, Jan Rossmeisl
Abstract
, a cation at the interface can stabilize them and facilitate the reaction kinetics. When the proton source is already significantly dissociated (in the case of a strong acid), there is no negatively charged intermediate and thus the hydrogen evolution can proceed at much lower overpotentials. This reveals a situation where the overpotential for electrocatalysis is related to stabilizing the active structure of the interface, facilitating the reaction rather than providing the reaction energy.
Topics & Concepts
ElectrolyteInterface (matter)HydrogenChemistryCombinatorial chemistryChemical physicsChemical engineeringOrganic chemistryPhysical chemistryMoleculeEngineeringElectrodeGibbs isothermElectrocatalysts for Energy ConversionFuel Cells and Related MaterialsElectrochemical Analysis and Applications