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Hydrogen Electrocatalysis
Author(s) -
Kibler Ludwig A.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.200500646
Subject(s) - electrocatalyst , exchange current density , chemisorption , density functional theory , hydrogen , chemistry , chemical physics , electronic structure , current density , materials science , nanotechnology , computational chemistry , electrochemistry , electrode , physics , organic chemistry , adsorption , quantum mechanics , tafel equation
A selection of recent theoretical and experimental studies on electrolytic hydrogen evolution is presented. It is demonstrated with well‐defined model surfaces that this reaction is a very structure‐sensitive process. Crystallographic orientation, defect density and surface composition are parameters that determine the local geometric and electronic surface structure, and are thus crucial for the electrocatalytic activity as characterised by the exchange current density. The observed trends can be understood within a recent theory by J. K. Nørskov et al., which is based on density functional calculations and which emphasises the impact of hydrogen chemisorption energies on the reaction rate, that is, on the exchange current density. The particular electrocatalytic activities of ultrathin metal films and of nanostructures are addressed.