Investigation of the activity of g-C3N4/NiFe2O4/Ni nanocomposite structure in electrocatalytic hydrogen production

Hydrogen production from water as an alternative energy source is considered a clean energy resource. Hydrogen generation by the electrolysis of water is an intensely studied research topic. Although there are many studies in the literature on this subject; intensive research is still being carried out for the development of active, stable and economical electrocatalysts. In this study, considering previous studies on hydrogen production from water electrolysis, it is aimed to develop a new, economical and stable electrocatalyst with high catalytic activity in order to increase the hydrogen gas evolution reaction by reducing the required overpotential in the electrolysis system. Therefore, a pencil graphite electrode modified with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 )/nickel ferrite (NiFe 2 O 4 )/Ni nanocomposite structure as a cost-effective and catalytic active material. Thus, an electrode with a high surface area, easy to synthesize, and a large number of functional groups on the surface was prepared. First, the catalytic activity of the g-C 3 N 4 /NiFe 2 O 4 composite structure were investigated for the hydrogen evolution reaction by various electrochemical methods such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), Tafel polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Then the surface modified by Ni nanoparticles and performance of the as-prepared electrocatalyst tested by the same electrochemical methods. Further, the stability studies were performed by chronoamperometry and the structural properties of the all surfaces were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy technique.