Comparative Study of Pulsed Alkaline Electrolysis in Two Electrode Materials

Pulsed electrolysis is a promising technology for the clean and sustainable generation of hydrogen. Research on electrode materials with similar geometries regarding their microscopic behavior in electrolysis at the solid-liquid interface is needed to improve the efficiency of this production process. This work compares zinc and stainless-steel electrodes using different electrolyte concentrations, employing both conventional and pulsed electrolysis. Parameters such as current and voltage curves, Tafel plots, efficiencies, solution resistances, and charge transfer resistance are compared. The findings highlight the duty cycle as a key operational parameter for modifying the electric double layer, demonstrating that optimized pulsed electrolysis can enhance efficiency without changing electrolyte concentration, and instead choosing the adequate chemical composition and surface roughness of the electrode material. Conclusions are drawn regarding the best electrode and the improvement techniques for corrosive electrodes.