A heterogeneous dihydrogen (H2) production system has been attained by simply soaking electrodes made from electro-deposited graphene on FTO plated glass in solutions of a cobalt bis(dithiolate) compound. The resulting electrodes are active in weakly acidic aqueous solutions (pH > 3), have relatively low overpotentials (0.37 V versus platinum), show high catalytic rates (TOF > 1000 s(-1)), and are resistant to degradation by dioxygen.

A series of cobalt bis(benzenedithiolate) complexes with varying benzenedithiolate (general abbreviation: bdt) ring substitutions (SCX) were prepared and adsorbed on inexpensive electrodes composed of (a) reduced graphene oxide (RGO) electrodeposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and (b) highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). The catalyst-adsorbed electrodes are characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Catalyst loading across the ligand series improved notably with increasing halide substitution [from 2.7 × 10 mol cm for TBA[Co(SCH)] (1) to 6.22 × 10 mol cm for TBA[Co(SCCl)] (3)] and increasing ring size of the benzenedithiolate ligand [up to 3.10 × 10 mol cm for TBA[Co(SCH)] (6)]. Electrocatalytic analysis of the complexes immobilized on HOPG elicits a reductive current response indicative of dihydrogen generation in the presence of mildly acidic aqueous solutions (pH 2-4) of trifluoroacetic acid, with overpotentials of around 0.5 V versus SHE (measured vs platinum). Rate constant (k) estimates resulting from cyclic voltammetry analysis range from 24 to 230 s with the maximum k for TBA[Co(SCHCl)] (2) at an overpotential of 0.59 V versus platinum. Controlled-potential electrolysis studies performed in 0.5 M HSO at -0.5 V versus SHE show impressive initial rate constants of over 500 s under bulk electrolysis conditions; however, steady catalyst deactivation over an 8 h period is observed, with turnover numbers reaching 9.1 × 10. Electrolysis studies reveal that halide substitution is a central factor in improving the turnover stability, whereas the ring size is less of a factor in optimizing the long-term stability of the heterogeneous catalyst manifolds. Catalyst deactivation is likely caused by catalyst desorption from the electrode surfaces.

Heterogeneous dihydrogen production manifolds comprised of bulk graphite, pencil graphite, graphite powder in Nafion films, graphene, and glassy carbon electrodes with adsorbed proton reduction catalyst TBA[Co(S2C6Cl2H2)2] have been prepared and tested for their efficiency to generate dihydrogen in acidic aqueous media. The catalyst adsorbed on these inexpensive graphitic surfaces consistently displays similar electrocatalytic profiles compared to the same catalyst on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) supports, including high activity in moderately acidic aqueous solutions (pH < 4), moderate overpotentials (0.42 V vs platinum), and some of the highest reported initial turnover frequencies under electrolysis conditions (96 s(-1)). The exceptions are glassy carbon and single-layer graphene surfaces, which only weakly adsorb the catalyst, with no sustained catalytic current upon acid addition. In particular, the improved stability and good activity observed for the catalyst adsorbed on graphite powder embedded in a Nafion film shows that this is a promising H2 production system that can be assembled at minimal cost and effort.

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