If you want to develop powerful hydrogen catalysts, designing surface properties of the nano-powder are all important.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/12/anl-20111209.html *In the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) we report the design and performance of composite materials to facilitate different parts of the overall multistep HER process in alkaline environments:* *This involved growth of conductive ultra-thin Ni(OH)2 clusters (height 0.7 nm, width 8 to 10 nm) on both pristine Pt single-crystal surfaces and Pt surfaces modified by two-dimensional (2D) Pt ad-islands [Pt-islands/Pt(111)]. We found that, relative to the corresponding Pt single-crystal surfaces, the most active Ni(OH)2/Pt-islands/Pt(111) electrodes in KOH solutions are more active for the HER by a factor of ~8 at an overpotential of –0.1 V. Further enhancement of water dissociation is achieved by the introduction of solvated Li+ ions into the compact portion of the double layer, resulting in a factor of 10 total increase in activity. Finally, we demonstrate that the knowledge attained by studying single-crystal surfaces can be used for the design of prospective commercial nanocatalysts for alkaline electrolyzers.* * * The electrocatalytic trends established for extended surfaces explain the activity pattern of nanocatalysts and provide a fundamental basis for the enhancement of cathode catalysts. By combining experiments with simulations in the quest for surfaces with desired activity, the researchers developed an advanced concept in nanoscale catalyst engineering. *We have not only increased catalytic activity by a factor of 10, but also now understand how each part of the system works. By scaling up from the single crystal to a real-world catalyst, this work illustrates how fundamental understanding leads quickly to innovative new technologies.* —George Crabtree If you want to do such nano-powder research, here is the type of equipment that will be productive: Their lab includes a custom built three-chamber UHV system equipped with the state-of-the-art surface sensitive tools, including Low Energy Ion Scattering Spectroscopy (LEISS), Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), angle resolved X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS with monochromator), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) optics, sputtering guns, thermal evaporators, dual hemispherical analyzers, and chamber with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy AFM. All three chambers are connected to each other but they can also work as independent chambers, making it possible to transfer samples from one to the other unit in order to get detailed surface characterization or to make desirable surface modification. The equipment that Rossi used was shear stubbornness. But he does not know how his system works.
