Electrocatalytic hydrogen production on polyaniline and its derivatives modified with chitosan and Pt nanoparticles

In this study, it was aimed to develop appropriate electrocatalysts to obtain hydrogen, which is considered as an alternative, clean and future energy, by electrolysis of water. The glassy carbon electrode surface, which was selected as the working electrode within the scope of the thesis, was modified with polyaniline (PAni) and its derivatives, poly(o-anisidine) (PoA) and poly(o-toluidine) (PoT) copolymers. By adding chitosan (Chi), a biopolymer with mechanically good film-forming properties, to the structure, more durable and electroactive polymers were formed. The catalytic activities of these structures in electrochemical hydrogen formation were examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV), Tafel polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods. Nanoscale electrodeposition of platinum (Pt) metal, which has high catalytic activity in hydrogen production, was carried out on these composite films. The catalytic performances of the prepared nanocomposites in hydrogen production from water were compared with the same techniques. Structural properties of the obtained (PAni-ko-PoA)-Chi, (PoA-ko-PoT)-Chi, (PAni-ko-PoA)-Chi/Pt and (PoA-ko-PoT)-Chi/Pt composites were scanned electron it was examined using microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques.