Confinement of hydrogen molecules at graphene-metal interface by electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction

Yasuda, Satoshi; Tamura, Kazuhisa; Terasawa, Tomoo; Yano, Masahiro; Nakajima, Hideaki*; Morimoto, Takahiro*; Okazaki, Toshiya*; Agari, Ryushi*; Takahashi, Yasufumi*; Kato, Masaru*; et al.

Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 124(9), p.5300 - 5307, 2020/03

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c00995

Confinement of hydrogen molecules at graphene-substrate interface has presented significant importance from the viewpoints of development of fundamental understanding of two-dimensional material interface and energy storage system. In this study, we investigate H confinement at a graphene-Au interface by combining selective proton permeability of graphene and the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (electrochemical HER) method. After HER on a graphene/Au electrode in protonic acidic solution, scanning tunneling microscopy finds that H nanobubble structures can be produced between graphene and the Au surface. Strain analysis by Raman spectroscopy also shows that atomic size roughness on the graphene/Au surface originating from the HER-induced strain relaxation of graphene plays significant role in formation of the nucleation site and H storage capacity.