Thin Coatings of Polymer of Intrinsic Microporosity (PIM-1) Enhance Nickel Electrodeposition and Nickel-Catalyzed Hydrogen Evolution

Nickel nanoparticle electrodeposition is studied on flat glassy carbon (GC) or on nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (rGO-N) substrates. The effects of a very thin (nominally 16 nm) layer polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) are investigated (i) on enhancing nickel nanoparticle nucleation and growth during electrodeposition and (ii) on enhancing hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis. Beneficial effects are tentatively assigned to PIM-1 suppressing blocking effects from interfacial hydrogen bubble formation. Exploratory data suggest that in aqueous 0.5 M NaCl solution (artificial seawater) nickel nanoparticles grown into a thin film of PIM-1 could be a viable electrocatalyst with an onset of hydrogen evolution only slightly negative compared to that observed for platinum nanoparticles.