Electrocatalytic properties of Fe-based bulk metallic glasses for hydrogen evolution reaction

The electrocatalytic activity of newly developed Fe-based bulk metallic glasses was evaluated by polarization and impedance measurements in deaerated 1M KOH solution at room temperature. The electrocatalytic activity as well as the glass-forming ability of the Fe₇₃C₃Si_{7. 3}B_{8. 5}P_{5. 7}Mo_{2. 5} alloy was improved by the partial substitution of Fe with 13. 5 at% Co. In hydrogen evolution reaction, the metallic glasses exhibited higher activity than the activity of G14 (Fe₆₀B₁₀Si₁₀Co₂₀) metallic glass, which has been reported to be comparable to the activity of Pt electrode. The activity was further improved after a chemical pretreatment in 1 M HF solution for 1 min due to the formation of cobalt-rich layer with a large effective surface area.