Synergetic Effect during the Electrocatalytic Reaction of Hydrogen Production in the Presence of 2.2'-Bipyridine

Abstract

Abstract A study is performed of the electrocatalytic properties of 2,2'-bipyridine in the presence of acids of different natures (HBF4, HClO4, TsOH, CF3COOH) and the nature of the synergistic effect. It is shown that the pKa of the acids greatly affect the mechanism of the reactions that occur. Based on electrochemical and electrocatalytic data obtained via cyclic voltammetry and preparative potentiostatic electrolysis, main mechanisms of the electrocatalytic production of molecular hydrogen are proposed that depend on the nature of the acids. The thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of the considered systems are calculated.