Electrochemical Synthesis of Ni-SnO2 Composite Electrodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Solution

In this work, high efficient Ni-SnO2 electrodes were prepared for the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by a simple composite electroplating method from sulphamate bath containing SnO2 nano -particles. The Ni-SnO2 electrode was physically characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). These physical characterization results revealed that the homemade SnO2 particles (about 170 nm) were successfully co -deposited in coatings. The composited SnO2 changed the surface morphology and phase structure of Ni matrix. The electrochemical activities and stabilities for HER were monitored by steady-state polarization, Tafel plots, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and chronopotentiometry technique. The activity was confirmed via the quantification of H-2 gases that evolved during chronopotentiometry study. The Ni-SnO2 showed a higher catalytic activity for H-2 evolution, compared with Ni. The OHads on SnO2 surface was benefit to the formation of adsorbed Haas which is the rate-determining step for HER.