In silico designing of electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction: a focus on titanium metal-based diboride monolayers

TitleIn silico designing of electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction: a focus on titanium metal-based diboride monolayers
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2025
AuthorsShivankar, BR, Verma, TSingh, Krishnamurty, S
JournalInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume133
Pagination91-100
Date PublishedJUN
Type of ArticleArticle
ISSN0360-3199
KeywordsAIMD, D -band center, DFT, HER, SAC
Abstract

Enhancing the efficiency of Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) using chemically modified electrocatalytic titanium diboride surfaces with transition metal-based Single Atom Catalysts (SACs) is illustrated using Density Functional Theory (DFT) based methods employing solvent effects. With higher surface concentrations of nonmetal boron rather than titanium metal, these highly conductive, extremely hard, chemically, and thermally stable electrocatalysts are more cost-effective and superior to their MBene analogs. A systematic analysis of these transition metal-based SACs from the 3d, 4d, and 5d groups embedded in TiB2 monolayer for its HER activity reveals the reduction in limiting potential. As the most effective SAC for improved HER, Zn@TiB2 SAC has a limiting potential of 0.08 eV in acidic and 0.21 eV in alkaline media. The higher exchange current density of Zn@TiB2 (5.74 x 10-5 A cm-2), which exceeds most previously reported electrocatalysts, indicates exceptional HER performance. This work shows that transition metal boride electrocatalysts are economically viable for HER and pave a path for experimentalists.

DOI10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.04.482
Type of Journal (Indian or Foreign)

Foreign

Impact Factor (IF)

8.3

Divison category: 
Physical and Materials Chemistry
Database: 
Web of Science (WoS)