Kinetics of hydrogen release on newly formed and hydrogenated metal surfaces

We study the regularities of cathodic processes accompanied by hydrogen depolarization as a function of the energy state of the metal surface, including its purity and degree of hydrogenation. It was established that hydrogen release on a newly formed metal surface (NFS) is activation-free and diffusion-controlled and its rate is determined by the exchange current. Hydrogenation of the surface increases the work function of escape of an electron, decreases the probability of escape of electrons from a metal into solution by changing the structure of the electric double layer, and, thus, slows down hydrogen release.