In situ formed vanadium-oxide cathode coatings for selective hydrogen production

• Electrode selectivity towards hydrogen production is essential in various conversion technologies for renewable energy, as well as in different industrial processes, such as the electrochemical production of sodium chlorate. In this study we present sodium metavanadate as a solution additive, inducing selective cathodic formation of hydrogen in the presence of various other reducible species such as hypochlorite, chlorate, oxygen, nitrate, hydrogen-peroxide and ferricyanide. During electrolysis a vanadium-oxide coating forms from the reduction of sodium metavanadate, explaining the observed enhanced selectivity. The hydrogen evolution reaction proceeds without significantly altered kinetics on such in situ modified electrode surfaces. This suggests that the reaction takes place at the interface between the electrode surface and the protective film, which acts as a diffusion barrier preventing the unwanted species to reach the electrode surface.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Kemiteknik -- Annan kemiteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Chemical Engineering -- Other Chemical Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Hydrogen evolution reaction

Cathode selectivity

Overall water splitting

Industrial chemistry

Chlorate electrolysis

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)