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Local Surface Structure and Composition Control the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Iron Nickel Sulfides
Author(s) -
Bentley Cameron L.,
Andronescu Corina,
Smialkowski Mathias,
Kang Minkyung,
Tarnev Tsvetan,
Marler Bernd,
Unwin Patrick R.,
Apfel UlfPeter,
Schuhmann Wolfgang
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201712679
Subject(s) - nickel , platinum , catalysis , electrochemistry , materials science , nanoscopic scale , rational design , crystal structure , characterization (materials science) , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , hydrogen , chemistry , crystallography , metallurgy , electrode , organic chemistry , engineering
In order to design more powerful electrocatalysts, developing our understanding of the role of the surface structure and composition of widely abundant bulk materials is crucial. This is particularly true in the search for alternative hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts to replace platinum. We report scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) measurements of the (111)‐crystal planes of Fe 4.5 Ni 4.5 S 8 , a highly active HER catalyst. In combination with structural characterization methods, we show that this technique can reveal differences in activity arising from even the slightest compositional changes. By probing electrochemical properties at the nanoscale, in conjunction with complementary structural information, novel design principles are revealed for application to rational material synthesis.