Synthesis and development of nano WO sub(3) catalyst incorporated Ni-P coating for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction

Monoclinic phased nano WO sub(3) incorporated Ni-P coating has been developed and its electrocatalytic activity towards HER has been investigated. The grains obtained in Ni-P matrix have been tuned to obtain a uniform and homogenous coating by incorporating nano WO sub(3) catalyst. The improved electrocatalytic activity was evidenced from the low overpotential, high exchange current density and improved double layer capacitance obtained from the Tafel polarization and EIS analysis of Ni-P-WO sub(3) coating. The retention of catalytically active sites and surface homogeneity was evidenced from the intermittent potential scan and EIS spectra obtained after HER of Ni-P-WO sub(3) coating. The tolerance performance under vigorous conditions provided an insight into the sustained catalytic activity and electrochemical stability of the internal layers of Ni-P-WO sub(3) coating. The incorporation of nano WO sub(3) catalyst into the Ni-P matrix has also improved the metallurgical characteristics of electroless Ni-P coatings.