Surface characterization of natural graphite powder composite electrodes by atomic force microscopy

Graphite powder electrodes bonded by polymerized LaPO4 have been investigated for the first time by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The interest in investigating this material stems from the fact that graphite electrodes intercalated, or not, with various metals and bonded with LaPO4 have shown very good mechanical and electrochemical stability during the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in 1 M KOH aqueous solutions. Examination of their surfaces by scanning electron microscopy has revealed that these electrodes are very porous. AFM furnishes additional data about the surface and can therefore be considered a powerful tool for surface characterization.