Nickel-Supported Tungsten Oxide Composite Material for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction under Alkaline Conditions

Abstract

In this work, we synthesized a nickel-supported tungsten oxide composite (WOx/Ni) by chemically reducing Ni (II) ions in the presence of WO3·H2O to develop an efficient electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the formation of crystalline Ni and the presence of tungsten–oxide species in the composite. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a distinctive popcorn-like morphology with a rougher surface than pure Ni. The composite also exhibited an increased electrochemical double-layer capacitance (Cdl), indicating greater electrochemical accessibility under the investigated conditions. Electrochemical measurements demonstrated enhanced HER performance, with a lower overpotential of 106 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 99 mV dec−1, compared with pure Ni. Chronopotentiometry (CP) at 10 mA cm−2 for 50 h revealed an initial activation behavior, followed by a relatively stable potential after approximately 20 h, but the overpotential increased to 175 mV by the end of the test. These results demonstrate that the WOx/Ni composite exhibits enhanced HER activity and provides a promising approach for developing nickel-based electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen production.