Kinetics and direct imaging of electrochemically formed palladium hydride for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction

Active and reliable electrocatalysts are fundamental to renewable energy technologies. PdCoO2 has recently been recognized as a promising catalyst template for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic media thanks to the formation of active PdHx. In this article, we monitor the transformation of single PdCoO2 particles during HER, and confirm their almost complete transformation to PdHx with sub-millimeter depths and cracks throughout the particles. Using operando mass spectrometry, Co dissolution is observed under reductive potentials, leading to PdHx formation, whereas the dissolution partial current is found to be 0.1 % of the HER current. The formation of PdHx is confirmed through secondary ion mass spectrometry and quantitatively analyzed by atom probe tomography, enabled by isotope labelling of hydrogen using heavy water. Despite dry storage and high vacuum during sample preparations, an overall composition of PdD0.28 is measured for the PdHx sample, with separation between alpha- (D-poor) and beta- (D-rich) PdHx phases. The PdHx phase formed on PdCoO2 particles is stable for a wide electrochemical potential window, until Pd dissolution is observed at open circuit potentials. Our findings highlight the critical role of a templated growth method in obtaining stabilized PdHx, enabling efficient HER without the commonly slow activation processes observed in Pd. This offers insights into the design of more efficient electrocatalysts for renewable energy technologies.