Electrocatalysis of Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution from Water in Acid Media Using N-Containing Conjugated Polymers

The possibility is demonstrated for the display of electrocatalytic activity in hydrogen evolution by a series of N-containing organic conjugated polymers in acid media. Modification of a glassy carbon electrode with poly-5-aminoindole, poly-8-aminoquinoline, or poly-o-phenylenediamine, in contrast to polyaniline, polypyrrole, poly-m-phenylenediamine, poly-o-aminophenol, polyindole, and poly-2-aminopyridine, leads to enhanced efficiency of electrochemical hydrogen evolution, namely, to a decrease in the Tafel slope, a decrease in the onset potential of the process, and a decrease in the overpotential at a given current density.