Electrocatalytic properties of a cerium/nickel coating deposited using a deep eutectic solvent

Abstract

A cerium/nickel coating was deposited using the chronopotentiometry method from a solution of nickel chloride, cerium chloride, ammonium chloride and boric acid dissolved in a deep eutectic solvent – choline chloride:ethylene glycol mixture in the ratio 1:2. The obtained layer included approximately 85% of Ce and 15% of Ni. The kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) were studied in 1 M KOH. The synthesized coating exhibited enhanced electrochemical performance towards the hydrogen evolution reaction in water electrolysis. The overpotential of this reaction was reduced in comparison to the reference nickel layer and the exchange current density was higher than that reported for the Ni layer. Keywords: Cerium, Nickel, Electrodeposition, HER, Hydrogen