Palladinized graphene oxide-MOF induced coupling of Volmer and Heyrovsky mechanisms, for the amplification of the electrocatalytic efficiency of hydrogen evolution reaction

Mogwasha D Makhafola; Kwena D Modibane; Kabelo E Ramohlola; Thabiso C Maponya; Mpitloane J Hato; Katlego Makgopa; Emmanuel I Iwuoha

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-96536-9

Palladinized graphene oxide-MOF induced coupling of Volmer and Heyrovsky mechanisms, for the amplification of the electrocatalytic efficiency of hydrogen evolution reaction

Sci Rep. 2021 Aug 26;11(1):17219. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-96536-9.

Authors

Mogwasha D Makhafola¹, Kwena D Modibane², Kabelo E Ramohlola¹, Thabiso C Maponya¹, Mpitloane J Hato¹, Katlego Makgopa³, Emmanuel I Iwuoha⁴

Affiliations

¹ Nanotechnology Research Lab, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mineral Sciences, University of Limpopo (Turfloop), Sovenga, 0727, Polokwane, South Africa.
² Nanotechnology Research Lab, Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mineral Sciences, University of Limpopo (Turfloop), Sovenga, 0727, Polokwane, South Africa. kwena.modibane@ul.ac.za.
³ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology (Acardia Campus), Pretoria, 0001, South Africa. makgopak@tut.ac.za.
⁴ SensorLab, Chemistry Department, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Cape Town, 7535, South Africa. eiwuoha@uwc.ac.za.

Abstract

In this study, a nanocomposite of palladium supported graphene oxide (GO)/metal-organic framework (MOF) was prepared using electroless deposition of Pd on GO followed by impregnation method of Pd@GO and MOF. The prepared materials were characterized with various analytical techniques and their applications as HER electrocatalysts were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), Tafel plots, and turn over frequencies (TOFs). The HER results showed a radical increment of H₂ production in the nanocomposite through the Volmer reaction together with Heyrovsky or Tafel mechanism. This disclosed that the addition of Pd@GO/MOF in the electrolytic system possessed better catalytic characteristics with enhanced current density which may open a new way for hydrogen production and storage via HER.