Role of water structure in alkaline water electrolysis

Herein, with the help of experimental and first-principles density functional theory (DFT)-based studies, we have shown that structural changes in the water coordination in electrolytes having high alkalinity can be a possible reason for the reduced catalytic activity of platinum (Pt) in high pH. Studies with polycrystalline Pt electrodes indicate that electrocatalytic HER activity reduces in terms of high overpotential required, high Tafel slope, and high charge transfer resistances in concentrated aqueous alkaline electrolytes (say 6 M KOH) in comparison to that in low alkaline electrolytes (say 0.1 M KOH), irrespective of the counter cations (Na(+), K(+), or Rb(+)) present. The changes in the water structure of bulk electrolytes as well as that in electrode-electrolyte interface are studied. The results are compared with DFT-based analysis, and the study can pave new directions in studying the HER process in terms of the water structure near the electrode-electrolyte interface.