Nickel nanoparticles supported on carbon surface as an electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction.

MOFs derived metals composites are good electrocatalyst for energy storage and conversion process. A synthesis of Ni composite with carbon (Ni/C) is formed by calcination of Ni-MOF at 600 °C and it's characterised with XRD, FE-SEM, FTIR and BET. After calcination, the derived Ni composite shows a lower crystalline size, high porosity and high surface area as compared to Ni-MOF. The derived material is used as an electrode for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) and it is carried out by Cyclic voltammetry (CV), Electrochemical impedance analysis (EIS) and Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV) in alkaline medium. The derived Ni/C shows a lowest Tafel slope of 61.56 mV/dec with an overpotential of 213.2 mV due to the surface area and accessible catalytic active sites which provides excellent mass transfer properties for derived Ni/C composite. • Ni-MOF was synthesized by hydrothermal method and Ni-MOF was calcined at 600 °C to produce Ni/C. • Ni-MOF and Ni/C based electrodes were used for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER). • Ni/C exhibit higher activity in the HER with low overpotential of 213.2 mV and a Tafel slope of 61.56 mV/dec. • The rate determining step of hydrogen evolution process of Ni/C in basic medium follows Volmer-Heyrovsky mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]