2026-05-19T14:00:21Zhttps://keep.lib.asu.edu/oai/request

oai:keep.lib.asu.edu:node-2006402025-06-02T22:53:45Zoai_pmh:alloai_pmh:repo_items

200640 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.200640 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2025-05 27 pages Peterson, Ian Moore, Gary Moore, Ana Borges, Chad Barrett, The Honors College School of Molecular Sciences This work investigates how buffer identity, proton donor speciation, and pH influence the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in aqueous media. Scan rate and pH-dependence studies reveal that hydrogen evolution is buffer-mediated and diffusion-limited, with performance dictated by the proton donor identity and the overpotential (η) applied. By decoupling proton donor concentration from pH in phosphate systems, it is demonstrated that HER onset correlates with the equilibrium potential (Eeq), and activity scales linearly with η. Faradaic efficiency (the percent of current directed toward hydrogen evolution as determined by gas product analysis) measurements confirm near-unity conversion of charge to hydrogen. These findings underscore the role of buffer composition in tuning the HER kinetics and highlight strategies to optimize proton-coupled electrocatalysis under mild, near-neutral conditions for sustainable hydrogen generation. Electrochemistry Hydrogen Production Renewable Energy Catalysis Buffer Systems Energy conversion Unraveling Proton Donor Chemistry in the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction