am5b03188_si_001.pdf (318.27 kB)
Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution from Molybdenum Sulfide–Polymer Composite Films on Carbon Electrodes
journal contribution
posted on 2015-07-29, 00:00 authored by Youssef Lattach, Alain Deronzier, Jean-Claude MoutetThe
design of more efficient catalytic electrodes remains an important
objective for the development of water splitting electrolyzers. In
this context a structured composite cathode material has been synthesized
by electrodeposition of molybdenum sulfide (MoSx) into a poly(pyrrole-alkylammonium) matrix, previously coated
onto carbon electrodes by oxidative electropolymerization of a pyrrole-alkylammonium
monomer. The composite material showed an efficient electrocatalytic
activity toward proton reduction and the hydrogen evolution reaction
(HER). Data from Tafel plots have demonstrated that the electron transfer
rate in the composite films is fast, in agreement with the high catalytic
activity of this cathode material. Bulk electrolysis of acidic water
at carbon foam electrodes modified with the composite have shown that
the cathodes display a high catalytic activity and a reasonable operational
stability, largely exceeding that of regular amorphous MoSx electrodeposited on naked carbon foam. The enhanced
catalytic performances of the composite electrode material were attributed
to the structuration of the composite, which led to a homogeneous
distribution of the catalyst on the carbon foam network, as shown
by SEM characterizations.