Publication

Abstract : Electrodes modified with functional catalysts overcome the energy barriers of green hydrogen production through the electrolysis of aqueous media. Noble and non-noble metals, their alloys and other derivatives, carbonaceous compounds and polymers have been widely explored efficiently as catalysts and/or supports in enhancing the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Although the efficiency of conductive polymer as a catalyst as well as conductive support are critically evaluated extensively, these materials and their electrocatalytic characteristics didn't get reasonable attention and exploration in electrocatalysis, particularly in HER. Without critical scientific challenges, the limited exploration in HER might be due to the lack of comprehensive data on the properties of conductive polymers and their role in HER. In this scenario, this review unveils the scope of most of the conductive polymers belong to different classes and their scientific details towards HER. Discussion on various kinds of conductive polymers (both metal and non-metal based), their features such as intrinsic catalytic efficacy, electrochemical characteristics, functional moieties and their role on catalysis and support. Various modification techniques for enhancing the intrinsic activity and the number of active catalytic sites, mechanism of interaction of polymer catalyst with reactant and intermediates for hydrogen evolution are detailed respective to instances. Characteristics of epoxy polymers are analyzed in detail with respect to the peculiarities of an HER electrocatalysts, which is never debated before. The content in this work also summarized the challenges and future directions of polymer based HER electrocatalysis. The review inculcates the role of polymer and divulges new direction to polymer based electrocatalytic HER.