The effect of cathode deactivation upon hydrogen evolution reaction on nickel-coated carbon fibre

The process of cathodic evolution of hydrogen at metal (or composite) electrodes is one of the most widely studied electrochemical reactions. It has important technological significance in the fields of fuel-cell and battery development. Nickel-coated carbon fibre (NiCCF) offers an attractive, large surface-area catalyst material for the process of cathodic evolution of hydrogen. Such composite materials could potentially be used to produce large area, woven cathodes for the generation of H2 in commercial electrolysers. Kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at commercially available NiCCF material (Toho-Tenax fibre) were studied in 30 wt.% KOH solution, at room temperature over the cathodic overpotential range: -100 to - 500 mV/RHE. Significance of the cathode deactivation effect (in relation to the corresponding values of the charge-transfer resistance and the cathode potential parameters) upon continuous alkaline water electrolysis has also been discussed.