Revolutionizing Hydrogen Fuel Production: Exceptional Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Performance of Metal Oxides Coated Kish Graphite Electrodes with Mathematical Modelling

Abstract

Abstract This investigation highlights the successful synthesis and comprehensive characterization of a robust and reliable copper-based electrocatalyst, with an emphasis on its exceptional performance in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Copper oxide, silicon dioxide, and graphite were synthesized and advanced characterization techniques such as XPS, FT-IR, XRD, SEM, and EDS were employed to thoroughly analyze the synthesized materials. The resulting copper nanoparticles supported on silica substrate exhibited a calculated Tafel slope of 37 mV/dec in 0.5 M of H2SO4 solution. Furthermore, a mathematical model based on the Tafel equation and Langmuir-Hinshelwood model was developed to describe the HER reaction kinetics of an electrocatalysts in aqueous solution, which displayed improved HER performance due to its larger active surface area. The composite exhibited high probability for HER in a wide pH range and applied potential, with the composite R2 demonstrating the best stability under reaction conditions. These findings suggest that the copper-based electrocatalyst has significant potential to reduce the cost of producing hydrogen fuel and promote environmentally friendly energy sources.