The Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Solution: From Theory, Single Crystal Models, to Practical Electrocatalysts
Abstract
The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a fundamental process in electrocatalysis and plays an important role in energy conversion for the development of hydrogen‐based energy sources. However, the considerably slow rate of the HER in alkaline conditions has hindered advances in water splitting techniques for high‐purity hydrogen production. Differing from well documented acidic HER, the mechanistic aspects of alkaline HER are yet to be settled. A critical appraisal of alkaline HER electrocatalysis is presented, with a special emphasis on the connection between fundamental surface electrochemistry on single‐crystal models and the derived molecular design principle for real‐world electrocatalysts. By presenting some typical examples across theoretical calculations, surface characterization, and electrochemical experiments, we try to address some key ongoing debates to deliver a better understanding of alkaline HER at the atomic level.
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For HER in alkaline conditions, the existence of oxophilic Rh is capable to decrease the energy barrier of water dissociation process to promote the hydrogen production rate of the PtRh NAA catalyst.
“For HER in alkaline conditions that are lack of free protons, the existence of oxophilic Rh is also capable to decrease the energy barrier of water dissciation process to promote the hydrogen production rate of the PtRh NAA catalyst (Fig. 2f) [33].”
From Lamellar platinum–rhodium aerogels with superior electrocatalytic performance for both hydrogen oxidation and evolution reaction in alkaline environment (2019) · cites this paper as [33]
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- Authors
- Zheng, Y., Jiao, Y., Vasileff, A., & Qiao, S.
- Affiliations
- The University of Adelaide (AU)
- Tianjin University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Qiao, Shi‐Zhang
- Venue
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2018-05-14
- Volume
- 57
- Issue
- 26
- Pages
- 7568-7579
- ISSN
- 1433-7851 (ISSN-L)
- 1521-3773
- OpenAlex
- W2804261572
- Cited by
- 1,489
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 145 · 2025: 165 · 2024: 191 · 2023: 190 · 2022: 205 · 2021: 173 · 2020: 186 · 2019: 185 · 2018: 49
- FWCI
- 4.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Australian Research Council (DP160104866, DP170104464, LP160100927, DE160101163, FL170100154)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Hydrogen Storage and Materials
- Keywords
- hydrogen evolution reaction, alkaline electrocatalysis, reaction mechanism, surface electrochemistry, electrocatalyst design, water splitting, hydrogen production, theoretical calculations
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