Design and fabrication of intermetallic NiCo electrocatalysts for the alkaline HER

The design and fabrication of highly efficient electrocatalysts are crucial for reducing energy consumption, improving hydrogen production rates, and prolonging the service life of alkaline electrolyzers. In this study, intermetallic L 1 0 -NiCo electrocatalysts were designed using DFT calculations and fabricated through a one-step solid-state reaction method. The DFT calculations indicated that L 1 0 -NiCo presented a lower H adsorption Gibbs free energy and a moderate H 2 O dissociation barrier compared to the commonly used Ni catalyst and disordered NiCo alloy. Increasing the solid-state reaction temperature facilitated the formation of intermetallic L 1 0 -NiCo. Electrocatalytic tests for the alkaline HER demonstrated that the ECSA of L 1 0 -NiCo nanoparticles increased to 2.3 times, the overpotential decreased by 19%, the electrocatalytic activity increased to 1.5 times, and the stability improved to 2.2 times compared to those of the Ni nanoparticles. This research provides insights into the design and fabrication of highly efficient catalytic electrodes for alkaline electrolyzers. The intermetallic L 1 0 -NiCo electrocatalysts play a crucial role in reducing energy consumption, improving hydrogen production rates, and prolonging the service life of alkaline electrolyzers.