Facile fabrication of CuScS2/CoO as an efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction and water treatment process

Abstract

A major issue is the production of green and sustainable energy while the development of an effective, affordable, readily available with a higher rate of oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions is need of the time. Here in present work, we fabricated CuScS2, CoO, and CuScS2/CoO to replace the extremely expensive Pt/C and IrO2 that are employed as the benchmark materials for water electrolysis. We have also investigated their electrochemical performance in an alkaline environment for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The CuScS2/CoO nanocomposite is more effective electrode material than CuScS2 and CoO. The composite material shows smaller overpotential (179 mV) and reduced Tafel slope (46 mV dec−1) value than individual materials to attain a current density of 10 mA cm−2. The better efficiency of the composite material is due to well-distinct good shape with greater BET surface area, and relatively small resistance to charge transfer. Furthermore, the CuScS2/CoO exhibits remarkable electrocatalytic as well as photocatalytic performance in comparison to CuScS2 and CoO. This research provides a valuable guide for developing an OER electrocatalyst in an alkaline medium and shows better electrochemical as well as photocatalytic performance of CuScS2/CoO nanomaterials.