The activity of PAni-Chitosan composite film decorated with Pt nanoparticles for electrocatalytic hydrogen generation

• Simultaneous electrodeposition of PAni and chitosan achieved on pencil graphite.
• Nanosized Pt particles electrodeposited on this porous surface.
• PAni-Chi/Pt display excellent electrocatalytic performance for HER.

To develop low-cost, highly efficient and stable electrocatalysts is one of the main challenges for hydrogen production from a water electrolysis system. Herein, we describe platinum nanoparticles supported on pencil graphite modified by a Polyaniline-Chitosan composite film that could be used for such a system. This composite electrocatalyst was found to be very active in catalysing hydrogen evolution reactions in acidic medium. The catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was analysed by electrochemical techniques that promoted the kinetics of the reaction following the Volmer–Heyrovsky mechanism. The porous structure of the catalyst provides large current densities for Had formation and hydrogen evolution. Thus, this study implies that the pencil graphite coated with Polyaniline-Chitosan/Pt nanostructured material is a promising electrocatalyst for electrolytic hydrogen production due to its favourable kinetics and that it retains its performance after long-term electrolysis.

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