CoCuFe-MoS 2 /rGO as pioneer electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)

CoCuFe-MoS 2 /rGO as pioneer electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article CoCuFe-MoS 2 /rGO as pioneer electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) Adeleh Jafari Zarandini, Ali Bahari, Hajar Rajaei Litkohi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6730475/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 18 Sep, 2025 Read the published version in Research on Chemical Intermediates → Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study introduces a novel and innovative approach by designing a trimetallic nanocomposite catalyst for enhancing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The unique trimetallic structure significantly improves catalytic performance and clearly distinguishes this work from previous studies. Compared to conventional platinum-based and bimetallic catalysts, this trimetallic system offers superior activity, enhanced stability, and better resistance to degradation, making it a promising candidate for high-performance electrocatalytic applications. In this study, MoS2/reduced graphene oxide (MoS 2 /rGO) nanosheets are synthesized via a hydrothermal method, followed by the deposition of Copper-Cobalt-Iron (CuCoFe) transition trimetallic hybrids onto the ultrathin MoS 2 /rGO substrate through a straightforward ethylene glycol reduction process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis confirm the uniform distribution and consistent dispersion of CuCoFe nanoparticles on the catalyst support surface. The nanocomposite demonstrates exceptional catalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) under alkaline conditions, attributed to the synergistic interaction between CuCoFe trimetallic alloys and the MoS 2 /rGO substrate. Key electrochemical metrics include a high current density of 3.64 mA cm⁻², a half-wave potential of -0.118 V vs. Ag/AgCl, and an onset potential of -0.052 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Moreover, the CuCoFeMoS 2 /rGO electrode exhibits remarkable durability (90.03%) and methanol resistance (100%), significantly outperforming the Pt/C benchmark (61.58% and 79.96%, respectively). The analysis of the Koutecky-Levich (K-L) plots indicates a four-electron transfer process. The synergistic effects of rGO’s excellent conductivity and high aspect ratio, alongside MoS 2 's catalytic properties and the introduction of CuCoFe transition trimetallic hybrids, position CuCoFeMoS 2 /rGO as a promising candidate for high-performance electrocatalytic applications. CoCuFe nanoparticles MoS2/rGO ORR (oxygen reduction reaction) Electrocatalytic applications Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Introduction In light of the diminishing availability reserves of fossil fuels and the escalating environmental challenges, considerable interest were directed towards fuel cells due to their environmentally benign characteristics, elevated energy efficiency, abundance, accessibility, and reduced operational temperatures [ 1 – 4 ]. For the purpose of performance enhancement of fuel cells, it is imperative to acknowledge the significant contribution of the (ORR) oxygen reduction reaction. Consequently, the identification of effective electrocatalysts for ORR that mitigate polarization and expedite the sluggish kinetics associated with the ORR emerges as a critical factor in the enhancement of efficiency and the commercial viability of fuel cells. Platinum and its alloys have thus far been recognized as exceptional catalysts for ORR on account of their remarkable catalytic efficacy. Nonetheless, the limited availability of these resources, exorbitant costs, inadequate stability, and susceptibility to poisoning hinder their practical deployment. Thus, it is essential to develop capable, durable, and economically viable ORR catalysts [ 5 – 12 ]. Recently, within the context of identifying alternatives to platinum-based catalysts, researchers have directed considerable focus towards 2D-layered materials, particularly (MoS 2 ), which possess surface-active sites that function as effective oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysts in fuel cells in basic environments. Nonetheless, a significant proportion of MoS 2 comprises catalytically inactive basal planes, with active sites predominantly localized at its edges [ 13 – 18 ]. Inherent layered structure and pronounced surface energy of MoS 2 cause aggregation of nanosheets thereby diminishing the reachability of the available edge sites. Consequently, the conductivity and electrocatalytic performance of pure MoS 2 are significantly inferior when compared to platinum-containing catalysts [ 19 – 21 ]. To deal with this challenge, three approaches were proposed. One potential solution involves the doping MoS 2 using transition metals like nickel, cobalt and copper to enhance its performance in ORR applications. For instance, Rajith et al [ 22 ]. declared a methodology for augmenting the ORR performance of MoS 2 through hydrothermally intercalating cobalt hydroxide. Their findings elucidated an effective means of addressing intrinsic limitations, including restricted accessibility to surface sites and diminished conductance. The assessed Tafel slope of the nanocomposite through ORR was measured at 63 mV dec − 1 , in contrast to the 68 mV dec − 1 exhibited by the Pt/C catalyst and the number of electron transported for that composite was calculated to be within the range of 3.2 to 3.6. Ultimately, when subjected to durability testing over 2000 cycles, the current maintenance durability of this nanocomposite surpassed that of Pt/C. The second effective approach is incorporation of MoS 2 with carbonaceous materials like (rGO (T 1 ), CNTs), since possess large surface and commendable electrical conductance mitigating the challenges related to conductivity and aggregtion of MoS 2 sheets. Jiahao and colleagues synthesized an ultrathin T 2 nanosheet which is proposed as an effective electrocatalyst for the OER, that also commended for ORR. The synthesized nanosheets exhibited a Tafel slope of 53 mV dec − 1 , while the corresponding value for Pt/C was 40 mV dec − 1 . Their findings confirmed that the ORR performance of T 2 and Pt/C were remarkably comparable. Additionally, the defect-rich nanosheets shows a four-electron pathway. The third strategy involves merging metallic elements with the MoS 2 nanosheet, which enhances the Fermi energy and introduces a plethora of active catalytic sites, thereby improving ORR activity. Prabhakar Vattikuti et al [ 24 ]. applied a silver (Ag) coating to the surface of the material utilizing a microwave synthesis method that exhibited a remarkable stability comparable to Pt/C [ 23 , 24 ]. In this article, we used T 1 as an abbreviation for rGO and T 2 for MoS₂/rGO. However, in the figures and charts, the terms rGO and MoS₂/rGO are used. The observed ORR efficiency of the Ag/MoS 2 could be ascribed to the unique heterostructure formed between silver and MoS 2 , as well as its enhanced specific surface area. This nanohybrid exhibited remarkable stability over the course of 2000 cycles, with the ORR process occurring on the Ag/MoS 2 substrate via a four-electron reaction pathway. In light of these findings, MoS 2 , recognized for its superior physical and chemical characteristics, could be effectively employed as both a catalytic support and a catalyst within electrodes of fuel cell. Lately, transition metals have been utilized either in isolation or in hybrid forms across a variety of applications, for example water splitting, air batteries and fuel cells [ 25 – 39 ]. Furthermore, to elucidate synergistic effects, numerous investigations have been undertaken in the realm of ORR activity, predominantly employing combinations of single-atom metals, metal oxides and carbon materials. In numerous instances, such synergistic effects significantly enhance onset and half-wave potential, the quantity of active sites, diffusion current density, and the quantity of electrons transported during the ORR. Consequently, this results in an augmentation in both the electrical conductance and electrocatalytic performance of the electrocatalysts. Mehrpooya and colleagues [ 40 ]. successfully developed a CoMnNi-LDH/N, S-T 1 composite, which functions as an innovative ORR electrocatalyst. Their findings confirmed that the incorporation of N, S-T 1 into the CoMnNi-LDH substantially enhanced the ORR performance, attributable to the synergistic interactions present between the constituents. The onset potential for this catalyst were measured at 0.032 V (vs.Ag/AgCl) and the quantity of electrons transferred was obtained 3.65, aligning closely with a 4-electron pathway for the ORR. Ultimately, the ORR performance of the synthesized structure was juxtaposed with performance of the commercial 20% Pt/C. Mehrpooya et al [ 41 ]. Also, developed an innovative electrocatalyst consisting of GO/graphitic carbon nitride and CuFe/N-C@Co nanoparticles rooted within a N-doped CNTs. They analyzd the innovative structure in a basic environment using a three-electrode cell system. The onset potential of their composite was determined as 0.025 V (vs.Ag/AgCl). Furthermore, the quantity of conveyed electron was assessed to be 3.78, indicating that the ORR predominantly come after a 4-electron pathway, alongside a partially 2-electron mechanism within the electrocatalyst. In a recent investigation Mehrpooya et al [ 42 ]. developed Co 3 O 4 nanorods on cerium-doped porous graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets, serving as an effective electrode for supercapacitors and an electrocatalyst for ORR. For the Ce-PGCN, NS/Co 3 O 4 composite, the onset potential obtained 0.019 V vs. Ag/AgCl and quantity of transferred electron was 3.86. Additionally, Ce-PGCN, NS/Co 3 O 4 exhibited exceptional stability and endurance throughout redox reactions. In another study Kamali et al [ 43 ]. examined the functionalities of Cu@Fe/N-C composite in supercapacitor and ORR. Their findings indicated that Cu@Fe/N-C demonstrated excellent ORR activity, onset potential as 0.032 V vs. Ag/AgCl when protected by mSiO 2 , in contrast to the unprotected variant (0.162 V vs.Ag/AgCl). Moreover, the mean quantiy of electron conveyed was determined 3.55. Wenjun et al [ 44 ]. have reported the utilization of ZnCoMnO 4 /N-T 1 as a very effective electrocatalyst for both ORR and OER in zinc-air batteries. Their synthesized electrocatalyst demonstrated exceptional ORR and OER performance in a 0.1 M KOH electrolyte, exhibiting a half-wave potential of 0.14 V relative to the vs.Ag/AgCl for th ORR, alongside a 1.57 V onset potential for the OER. Huang et al [ 45 ]. presented Co 3 O 4 /Mn 3 O 4 -T 1 which designed to function in rechargeable zinc-air batteries, ORR and OER catalysis. The catalyst exhibited considerable ORR performance, reflected by a half-wave potential of 0.11 V versus Ag/AgCl, and remarkable OER performance with an onset potential of 1.59 V at a current density of 10 mA cm². Xinfu et al [ 46 ]. introduced a coordinated 3D Fe 3 O 4 -T 1 structure for the ORR. Their synthesized electrocatalyst demonstrated superior efficacy in the ORR compared to the commercially available Pt/C, characterized by a significant limiting current density of 4.6 mA cm², comparable to the value corresponding to Pt/C (4.7 mA cm²), a high quantity of transfered electron approximately four (~ 4), as well as exceptional lasting endurance to methanol in basic environments. For Fe 3 O 4 -T 1, the recorded onset potential was 0.117 V versus Ag/AgCl and half-wave potential was 0.263 V versus Ag/AgCl, significantly more than onset potential and half-wave potential observed for Fe 3 O 4 and T 1 , and close to corresponding values of Pt/C (0.071 V versus Ag/AgCl and 0.185 V versus Ag/AgCl, correspondingly). our investigation indicates within the domain of fuel cells, a paucity of studies cocerning the integration of transition trimetallic, carbonaceous materials and MoS 2 in ORR applications. This study aimed to integrate cost-effective transition tri metalic (CoCuFe) and carbon-based materials (T 1 ) with MoS 2 , utilizing a straightforward method. It is anticipated that the remarkable conductance and elevated catalytic performance of the CuFeCo-T 2 composite, derived from a synergistic interaction, will render its activity superior to that of Pt/C in the context of ORR. In this context, the performance of T 1 , CoCuFe-T 1 , T 2 , and CoCuFe-T 2 concerning ORR activity was meticulously assessed through parameters such as half-wave potential, onset potential, diffusion current density and transported electrons quantity, in order to elucidate the collaborative impacts conception comprehensively. Experimental Materials Graphite powder, potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, hydrochloric acid (35–37%), sodium hydroxide, sodium molybdate, L-cysteine [HSCH 2 CH(NH 2 )COOH, 98%], copper(II) nitrate hexahydrate, cobalt(II) nitrate hexahydrate, iron(III) nitrate nonahydrate, ethylene glycol, sulfuric acid, ethanol and NMP were procured from Merck Company. The Pt/C powder (20 wt%, Fuel Cells Etc) and Nafion solution (5 wt%, DuPont), also were employed. Synthesis of Graphene oxide (GO) To synthesize GO the modified Hummers' method was utilized [ 47 ]. In a beaker, 2 g of graphite powder was initially introduced to 46 mL of sulfuric acid while maintaining gentle agitation at 5°C. Subsequently, 6 g of KMnO 4 was incorporated into the beaker for a duration of 30 minutes, followed by continuous stirring for 2 hours to ensure homogeneity. Thereafter, the resultant mixture was heated to 35°C and maintained under this thermal situation for 6 hours. Following this, 92 mL of deionized water (DI) was cautiously introduced to the mixture, which had constantly agitated for 1 hour befor the introduction of additional 280 mL of DI water. Subsequently, a hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) solution was introduced into the mixture until a distinct change in color to a vibrant yellow was observed. Shortly thereafter, a hydrochloric acid solution (5% v/v) was added to the solution to facilitate the removal of impurities. Further, the resulting light brown GO mixture was subjected to centrifugation and rinsed with water til achieving a pH level of 7. At last, the sediments were freeze-dried to yield the GO in solid form. T nanosheet synthesis T 2 nanosheets were synthesized in a hydrothermal process. 170 mg of sodium hydroxide and 35 mg of GO were combined with 40 mL of NMP. Next, 190 mg of sodium molybdate and 370 mg of L-cysteine were amalgamated and mixed for 40 minutes. The entire solution was then transferred to an autoclave and thereafter, put in an oven with a temperature of 220°C for 20 hours; ultimately, the resultant sediments were subjected to centrifugation, rinsed thoroughly with copious amounts of deionized water and ethanol, then sediments were dried at 60°C for 18 hours. CoCuFe-T synthesis The deposition of iron, cobalt and copper particles on T 2 nanosheets was accomplished utilizing the ethylene glycol reduction method. Initially, 0.063 grams of Fe(NO 3 ) 2 .9H2O ,0.043 grams of Co(NO 3 ).6H 2 O and 0.033 grams of Cu(NO 3 ).6H 2 O were introduced into 40 mL of ethylene glycol. Following the adjustment of the pH to 12 (to enhance the loading efficiency of CoCuFe nanoparticles on the T 2 nanosheet), 0.1 grams of the support material was incorporated into the mixture. The aggregate metal composition in the nanocomposite was established at 20 wt% relative to the T 2 support. Subsequently, the composite structure was subjected to ultrasonication for 15 minutes and subsequently heated to 150°C for 4 hours via a reflux method. Finally, after centrifugation and thorough washing of the resultant black sediments with an adequate volume of water, it was dried for 20 hours at 60°C. Figure. 1(a) illustrates the CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite fabrication process schematically [ 48 – 49 ]. Results and Discussion The morphologies of GO, T 2 , and CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposites were analyzed through SEM imaging (Fig. 1 (b), (c), and (d)). The SEM picture of GO illustrates the presence of numerous wrinkles and rumples manifested on its structure resembling a sheet (Fig. 1 (b)). As depicted in Figure. 1(c) and (d), both samples indicate nanolayers are arranged in a piled configuration, thus forming column-like structures composed of nanosheets. These configurations are likely to provide an increased number of specific catalytic regions on a surface that facilitate electrocatalysis due to the enhanced edge availability. According to the data presented in Figure. 1(d), the surface of T 2 has been adorned with CoCuFe nanoparticles. Although nanoparticles are not seen to be homgeniously distributed, it is apparent that the tiny magnitude of the nanoparticles limits the capability of SEM imaging to reveal them. The incorporation of CoCuFe nanoparticles on catalyst support did not compromise the column-like architecture of the nanosheets, indicating that the CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite retained its morphological integrity despite the presence of trimetallic nanoparticles on the surface of T 2 (Fig. 1 (d)). Whereas the SEM imagery of the nanocomposite was unable to depict the catalysts, their existence was corroborated through EDS analysis [ 48 , 49 ]. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) spectrum pertaining to the nanocomposite, the identification of elements including C, O, Mo, S, Cu, Fe, Co, and combine, is substantiated within the nanocomposite, thereby confirming the successful synthesis of CoCuFe-T 2 . Furthermore, the elemental color mapping of the nanocomposite illustrates the cobalt, iron and copper elements were evenly distributed across the surface of T 2 nanosheets. (Fig. 2 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (h)) Figure 3 . The TEM image of the CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite clearly reveals that the MoS ₂ nanolayers are successfully integrated onto the T1 sheets. Additionally, CoCuFe nanoparticles appear as small black spots of varying diameters embedded within the supporting matrix. These nanoparticles indicate a well-dispersed distribution of the cobalt, copper, and iron metals, contributing to the enhanced physical and chemical properties of the composite. To assess the crystalline characteristics of the synthesized products, the X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis was conducted (as illustrated in Figure. 4(a)). A keen peak is observable at 12.95° within the XRD spectrum of GO that is associated with the (002) plane of graphite (JCPDS no. 41-1487), indicating a significant expansion of the interlayer distance within the graphite structure [ 50 ]. The XRD spectrum of T 2 confirms the structure of the MoS 2 nanosheets is hexagonal (JCPDS no. 37-1492). Meanwhile, the peaks positioned at 16.87°, 32.45°, 34.08°, 39.71°, and 57.05° are ascribed to the (002), (100), (101), (103), and (110) planes of the MoS 2 , correspondingly. Notably, the position related to (002) peak is observed to be slightly upshifted compared with the standard reference card. The XRD spectrum corresponding to the nanocomposite aligns well with that of T 2 . Moreover, it reveals peaks at 44.04°, 51.40°, and 75.52°, associated with lattice spacings of 0.202 nm, 0.175 nm, and 0.129 nm, appropriately corresponding to the (111), (200), and (220) planes of cubic CoCuFe nanoparticles (JCPDS no. 06-6296) [ 33 ]. Raman spectrum of all products are presented in the Figure. 4(b). The measurments acquired reveals that for the T 2 composite the characteristic peaks are situated at 377 and 401 cm − 1 , whereas the distinct peaks of the nanocomposite are positioned at 378 and 399 cm − 1 , indicating the presence of the in-plane (E 2g ) and out-of-plane (A 1g ) vibrational modes of MoS 2 within the analyzed structures, correspondingly [ 51 ]. Differential value between the wave numbers corresponding to E 2g and A 1g determined the quantification of the MoS 2 sheets [ 52 , 53 ]. The peak entanglement observed in the nanocomposite (21 cm − 1 ) is 3 cm − 1 lower than that of the T 2 composite, suggesting a reduced number of MoS 2 layers that have formed on the T 1 substrate. Furthermore, the enhanced growth of MoS 2 nanosheets on T 1 facilitates an increase in the availability of active sites. In the nanocomposite’s spectrum the peak positions of the E 2g and A 1g corroborate the diminished layer count associated with MoS 2 . An increase in the frequency of the E 2g mode, coupled with a decrease in the A 1g mode frequency, indicates a decrease in the quantity of layers [ 54 , 55 ]. The Raman spectra exhibited a couple of distinctive zeniths at 1502 and 1275 cm − 1 where the former corresponds to the graphitic band (G band) of graphene and the latter is indicative of the disorder band (D band) in GO. For the T 2 composite and the nanocomposite, the corresponding peak locations are observed at 1583 and 1348 cm − 1 , and 1585 and 1340 cm − 1 , respectively. The D peak to the G peak intensity ratio, I D /I G , serves as an indicator of the disorder degree within carbonaceous structure [ 56 , 57 ]. The disorder degree for GO, T 2 and the nanocomposite were calculated 0.98, 1.08, and 1.17, respectively, implying the existance of a greater number of defective sites within the nanocomposite. Evaluating the surface area and pore dimensions of the nanocomposite, BET analysis was applied. Obtained results indicate among the synthesized materials examined, the nanocomposite exhibits the highest specific surface area (82.00 m 2 g − 1 ) (Fig. 4 (c)). The associated surface area for T 2 and GO are measured 61.35 m 2 g − 1 and 40.58 m 2 g − 1 , respectively. The substrate surface area’s augmentation can be attributed to the incorporation of inherent porousity characteristics of trimetallic nanoparticles [ 24 ]. The evident hysteresis loops observed in the type IV isotherm substantiate the presence of plentiful mesoporous microstructures across every samples. The average pore diameters and total pore volumes for GO, T 2 and CoCuFe-T 2 were recorded at 19.727, 34.622, and 48.069 nm, alongside 0.0314, 0.0632, and 0.0874 cm 3 g − 1 , correspondingly (Fig. 4 (d)). The superior surface area and remarkably porous architecture of the CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite facilitate an increased availability of active sites and promote mass-electron transportation, thereby enhancing the oxygen reduction reaction performance. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) profiles of nanocomposite and platinum on carbon (Pt/C) conducted in the context of O 2 - and N 2 -saturated basic environment, have been systematically assessed to ascertain the oxygen reduction reaction efficiency of the electrodes as delineated in Figure. 5(a). The CV analyses revealed an absence of significant cathodic reduction current peaks across all synthesized electrodes, including the Pt/C variant. Subsequent to the purging oxygen from basic electrolyte, ORR peaks were observed at -0.131, -0.132 V for Pt/C, the nanocomposite, with the pertaining current densities recorded at 2.097 and 2.089 mA cm − 2 correspondingly. The potential corresponding to cathodic reduction peak of the CoCuFe-T 2 composite exhibited a shift towards a more positive potential relative to that of Pt/C, signifying a rapid reduction of CoCuFe and an enhanced ORR performance. Figure. 5(d) exhibits the (LSV) profiles of all samples assessed using a rotating disk electrode at 1600 rpm rotational speed. The results demonstrate the measured onset and half-wave potential for the investigated nanocomposite obtained − 0.052 and − 0.118 V correspeondingly, that indicate marginally lower value than those of Pt/C (-0.053 and − 0.119 V) and exceeded the measurments recorded for the T 2 (-0.454 and − 0.153 V), T 1 (-0.987 and − 0.161 V), CoCu-T 2 (-0.432 and − 0.148 V), and Co-T 2 (-0.448 and − 0.151 V). Furthermore, in CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite the diffusion-limited current density (3.64 mA cm⁻²) surpassed corresponding value of the T 1 (1 mA cm − 2 ), T 2 (2.63 mA cm⁻²), CoCu-T 2 (3.45 mA cm⁻²) and Co-T 2 (3.18 mA cm⁻²), approaching the standard Pt/C value (3.98 mA cm⁻²). For CoCuFe-T 2 and Pt/C, the LSV profiles were illustrated across varying rotational speeds in Figs. 5 (b) and (c) aimed at elucidating the reaction kinetics in the ORR procedure of these electrodes. As demonstrated, for these samples the limiting current densitiy exhibited an enhancement concomitant with the increase of the electrode's rotational speed; this phenomenon can be attributed to the minimization of the separation space between the electrocatalyst's surface on glassy carbon and the dissolved O 2 molecules in the electrolyte at elevated rotational velocities. Considering LSV profiles, a similarity in diffusion current is seen for the CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite in comparison with Pt/C, that is owing to the superior electrical conductivity associated with T 1 and functionality of MoS 2 as a support that provides avaiable active sites, coupled with the elevation of the Fermi energy of the nanocomposite because of the trimetallic hybrids incorporation. Gradient of the K-L plots in the ORR procedure, is indicative of the quantiy of transported electrons (n). Furthermore, as seen, the K-L plots corresponding to the CoCuFe-T 2 exhibit commendable linearity, indicative of first-order kinetics Figure. 5(e) [ 58 – 60 ]. . The resultant (n) quantities pertaining to ORR have been determined as (2.24), (2.78), (3.27), (3.55), (3.98) and 4 for T 1 , T 2 , Co-T 2 , CoCu-T 2 , CoCuFe-T 2 and Pt/C, respectively. Based on the obtained (n) values for the CoCuFe-T 2 , it can be inferred that this nanocomposite uniquely facilitates the O 2 molecules reduction to H 2 O through a 4-electron transfer mechanism. The co-operative interactions among CoCuFe, MoS 2 and T 1 enhance the transfer dynamics of electron-ion within the CoCuFe-T 2 , thereby augmenting the reaction rate. Moreover, the dissociation of O 2 molecules occurs with greater ease, ultimately establishing a 4-electron pathway for the CoCuFe-T 2 . To assess the ORR overpotential for catalysts, their associated Tafel slope have been calculated (Fig. 6 (a)). In case of the nanocomposite, the Tafel slope has been determined as 59 mV dec − 1 , that is marginally top the Tafel slope of Pt/C (57 mV dec − 1 ), and below the Co-T 2 (65 mV dec − 1 ), CoCu-T 2 (61 mV dec − 1 ), T 2 (82 mV dec − 1 ), and substantially less than corresponding value of T 1 (104 mV dec − 1 ). Therefore, the mass transport limitations for the CoCuFe-T 2 is less pronounced in comparison with the other synthesized catalsyts. These findings further corroborate the remarkable catalytic efficacy of the CoCuFe-T 2 towards ORR. In determining the electrical conductivity of the samples, the electron transfer process inherent to the catalytic reaction is crucial. The (EIS) assessment elucidated the boundary characteristics and the electrochemical response kinetics of the materials. It was conducted within the frequency spectrum ranging from 10 − 6 to 10 − 1 Hz for all catalysts and the acquired plots were presented in Figure. 6(b). Serial resistance (R S ) could be determined with bulk resistance and catalyst conductance which serve as the principal determinants. The measured R S for the T 1 , T 2 , Co-T 2 , CoCu-T 2 , CoCuFe-T 2 and Pt/C is 50.1, 40.08, 31.4, 27.5, 23.82 and 19.4 Ω, correspondingly. Obviously, CuFeCo-T 2 exhibited the lowest R S value among the synthesized materials, indicating its superior electrical conductivity. In high frequency region, the semicircle diameter indicates the resistance to electron transfer occurring at the boundary of the electrode and the electrolyte, while the straight line demeanor in the low-frequency domain reflects the diffusion capabilities. The electrocatalytic efficacy for all catalysts concerning the ORR is evaluated through the R ct values. The integration of trimetallic components that diminishes internal resistance while enhancing ion diffusion results in a lower R ct for CoCuFe-T 2 (26.72 Ω) compared to that of CoCu-T 2 (31.65 Ω), Co-T 2 (32.27 Ω), T 2 (44 Ω) and T 1 (51 Ω). This resistance is slightly higher than Pt/C (25.98 Ω). This finding underscores the favorable electrocatalytic efficacy of the synthesized nanocomposite for the ORR. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry analysis demonstrated the stability and endurance for both the CoCuFe-T 2 and Pt/C as critical efficacy metrics. Figure. 6(c) and (d) shows CV responses of the CoCuFe-T 2 and Pt/C with 1600 rpm rotational speed, indicating negligible changes in onset potential, limiting current density and half-wave potential, for the synthesized nanocomposite after 3000 cycles. Following the stability assessment, the CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite exhibited 0.11 mA cm² decrease in current, while Pt/C depicted 0.30 mA cm² reduction. Furthermore, commercial Pt/C experienced a 13 mV decrease in half-wave potential, and 25 mV reduction in its onset potential. Figure 6 (e) compares current response durability of the CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite and commercial Pt/C. After 14 hours of operation, 90.03% of initial current corresponding to CoCuFe-T 2 was remained, in contrast only 61.58% of initial current pertain to Pt/C retained. Notably, the CoCuFe-T 2 exhibits enhanced stability compared with the commercial Pt/C electrode. The effective supporting role of the substrate facilitates the uniform distribution of the CoCuFe-T 2 hybrids. The findings indicate a remarkable prolonged stability of the CoCuFe-T 2 throughout the ORR. Additionally, methanol tolerance of nanocomposite and Pt/C was assessed focusing on their normalized currents (Fig. 6 (f)). Following the introduction of 3 M methanol, a significant decline was observed in the current of Pt/C reaching to 79.96% of the primary value, although in same circumstances, the current of nanocomposite was maintained. This observation indicates the nanocomposite surpasses Pt/C in the methanol tolerance, thereby rendering it very advantageous in alcohol fuel cells application. Conclusions In this work, CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite, consisting of trimetallic CoCuFe hybrids homogeneously dispersed across the columnar T 2 nanosheets, was synthesized through a straightforward and cost-effective methodology. The columnar architecture of the nanocomposite was revealed via FESEM analysis, that provides an inhanced number of active sites for electrocatalytic reactions due to its optimized edge configuration. BET analysis, indicates the highest specific surface area among all examined structures belongs to the nanocomposite (82 m²g⁻¹). The surface area enhancement in the substrate can be attributed to the presence of trimetallic CoCuFe hybrids and their intrinsic porosity. The expansive surface region and the highly permeable architecture of the CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite facilitate a greater quantity of available active sites and increase mass-electron transport, thus benefiting the performance of the ORR. The homogenious and nanoscale distribution of trimetallic CoCuFe on the T 2 nanosheets, as validated via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), exhibited remarkable ORR catalytic efficacy in basic environment, as evidenced by superior onset potential (-0.052 V), elevated current density (3.64 mA cm⁻²), Tafel slope (59 mV dec⁻¹) and half-wave potential (-0.118 V). Meanwhile, the CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite demonstrated enhanced endurance and stability compared with Pt/C. The incorporation of reduced Graphhene Oxide (T 1 ) as an electrocatalyst substrate enhances the electrical conductivity and active surface areas of the system. MoS 2 fulfills a double role within the nanocomposite. From one view point, synthesizing MoS 2 on T 1 promotes the layered-form structures and mitigates agglomeration within MoS 2 , that serves as a secondary surface to deposit electrocatalyst. Specifically, the combination of MoS 2 and T 1 as a support increases the substrate's surface area, thereby allowing for a greater number of catalytic particles to be deposited, which in turn enhances catalytic activity. Conversely, MoS 2 , akin to Co, Cu and Fe, assumes a catalytic contribution within the nanocomposite. Thus, the integration of CoCuFe catalytic particles with MoS 2 augments the Fermi energy of the CoCuFe particles and provides a multitude of active sites. In conclusion, the synergistic interactions among CoCuFe hybrid particles, MoS 2 and T 1 promote the electron-ion transportation within the nanocomposite, resulting in an accelerated reaction rate. Consequently, oxygen molecules are more readily dissociated, leading to the establishment of a four-electron pathway for the CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite. The results acquired indicate the superior electrocatalytic activity of the CoCuFe-T 2 nanocomposite in comparison with commercial Pt/C. These findings could contribute in developing a sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient electrocatalyst suitable in fuel cells, supercapacitors, and lithium batteries application. Declarations Declaration of competing interest The authors confirm that there are no known financial interests or personal relationships that could have been perceived as influencing the research presented in this paper. Funding sources This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Author Contribution Author contributionsAdeleh Jafari Zarandini : Conceptualization, Investigation, Formal analysis, Writing e Original Draft, Visualization, Writing - Review & Editing, Validation. Ali Bahari: Supervision,Conceptualization, Resources, Writing - Review & Editing,Validation. Hajar Rajaei Litkouhi: Advision, Conceptualization, Resources, Writing - Review & Editing, Validation. References Singh SK, Takeyasu K, Nakamura J. Active sites and mechanism of oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysis on nitrogen-doped carbon materials. Adv Mater 2019;31:1804297. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201804297 . Wang YJ, Long W, Wang L, Yuan R, Ignaszak A, Fang B, et al. Unlocking the door to highly active ORR catalysts for PEMFC applications: polyhedron-engineered Pt-based nanocrystals. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6730475","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":474329399,"identity":"a88de6b0-e23b-442b-a1ff-375a38ce6ee2","order_by":0,"name":"Adeleh Jafari Zarandini","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Mazandaran","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Adeleh","middleName":"Jafari","lastName":"Zarandini","suffix":""},{"id":474329400,"identity":"514e2085-0c12-4c39-be9c-5cdfe1ed4c6e","order_by":1,"name":"Ali Bahari","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA0klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACHgZmEMkP47MRrUWygVQtDAYHiHUWfwPvwc8FNfdkjG9kJ39gqLFj4JMmoFniAF+y9IxjxTxmN3I3GDAcS2Zg40sgYM0BHgNpHrYEsJYEBrYDDGw8BHTIH+Ax/s3zL4HHeEbuhgMM/4jQYnCAx0yaty2Bx0Aid2MDYxsRWgwP86VZ8/Yl8EicebuZIbEvmYegFrnjvYdv83xLsOdvz9384cM3Ozn5HgJaIJECAgIJDAwJoGgiHvAfIEHxKBgFo2AUjCgAAPDWNt98pQMbAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"University of Mazandaran","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ali","middleName":"","lastName":"Bahari","suffix":""},{"id":474329402,"identity":"e2a7a7a3-be38-4139-9034-2389494663f3","order_by":2,"name":"Hajar Rajaei Litkohi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Amol University of Special Modern Technologies","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hajar","middleName":"Rajaei","lastName":"Litkohi","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-05-23 07:38:24","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6730475/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6730475/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11164-025-05728-9","type":"published","date":"2025-09-18T15:57:43+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":85195993,"identity":"1d37db8a-3da2-4008-83ee-f7cab915de15","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-23 09:25:27","extension":"jpeg","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":544589,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e(a) Schematic of the developing procedure of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite; FESEM images of (b) GO, (c) T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e, and (d) CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6730475/v1/b5a11d4ff12af9313d98d9de.jpeg"},{"id":85195994,"identity":"7500d54b-5c9f-4cce-b021-0eff7733cca4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-23 09:25:27","extension":"jpeg","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1221152,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e(a)EDS spectrum showing the elemental composition of the sample, with sections corresponding to (b) carbon, (c) oxygen, (d) molybdenum, (e) sulfur, (f) copper, (g) iron, (h) cobalt and (i) combine.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6730475/v1/0f2c660d0cb065c6a7d65291.jpeg"},{"id":85195983,"identity":"1f454f8d-b412-4428-8ee1-883e193d63a6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-23 09:25:25","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":311605,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eTEM image of CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6730475/v1/4b9dbc95859e3f0a27394b3c.png"},{"id":85196334,"identity":"56cca6eb-8e0a-4166-a7ac-fb4a46ec26e5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-23 09:33:25","extension":"jpeg","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":546423,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e(a) XRD patterns of the GO, MoS2/rGO, and CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite; (b) Raman spectra of the GO, T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, and CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite; (c) Nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms; (d) Pore size distribution of the GO, T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, and CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage4.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6730475/v1/914dcb4fb3c84c999db692f1.jpeg"},{"id":85196335,"identity":"574fb003-a864-482f-90f5-3a56b41d48eb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-23 09:33:25","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":24645,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e(a) CV CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite, and Pt/C in N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and O\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e-saturated 0.1 M KOH solution at a scan rate of 50 mV/s; (b) LSV curves of the Commercial Pt/C at a scan rate of 10 mV/s; (c) LSV curves of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite at a scan rate of 10 mV/s (d) O2 reduction polarization curves of different materials at 1600 rpm; (e) K-L plots of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite with various potentials.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6730475/v1/19f6513507ee1d59b0c68b4a.png"},{"id":85195982,"identity":"d4f165cf-830c-47b8-baf5-8b53333ab180","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-23 09:25:25","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":28702,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e(a) Tafel plots of all samples (b) EIS measurement of the MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO, CuCoFeMoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO nanocomposite, and Pt/C in the frequency range from 106 to 10\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e Hz; (c) CV stability of the Commercial Pt/C for 3000 cycles in O\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e-saturated 0.1 M KOH; (d) CV stability of the CuCoFeMoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO nanocomposite for 3000 cycles in O\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e-purged 0.1 M KOH; (e) Chronoamperometric durability test of the CuCoFeMoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO nanocomposite and Pt/C; (f) Methanol tolerance capability of the CuCoFeMoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO nanocomposite and Pt/C.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6730475/v1/bd41fab3a8a3482a6efcf342.png"},{"id":91889850,"identity":"b54e4cce-cdd0-4ba9-81a4-5555e5b06cd2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-22 16:02:41","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":3267588,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6730475/v1/55900446-5915-4318-aafd-293f9d812013.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"CoCuFe-MoS 2 /rGO as pioneer electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn light of the diminishing availability reserves of fossil fuels and the escalating environmental challenges, considerable interest were directed towards fuel cells due to their environmentally benign characteristics, elevated energy efficiency, abundance, accessibility, and reduced operational temperatures [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR2 CR3\" citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. For the purpose of performance enhancement of fuel cells, it is imperative to acknowledge the significant contribution of the (ORR) oxygen reduction reaction. Consequently, the identification of effective electrocatalysts for ORR that mitigate polarization and expedite the sluggish kinetics associated with the ORR emerges as a critical factor in the enhancement of efficiency and the commercial viability of fuel cells. Platinum and its alloys have thus far been recognized as exceptional catalysts for ORR on account of their remarkable catalytic efficacy. Nonetheless, the limited availability of these resources, exorbitant costs, inadequate stability, and susceptibility to poisoning hinder their practical deployment. Thus, it is essential to develop capable, durable, and economically viable ORR catalysts [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR6 CR7 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR11\" citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRecently, within the context of identifying alternatives to platinum-based catalysts, researchers have directed considerable focus towards 2D-layered materials, particularly (MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e), which possess surface-active sites that function as effective oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysts in fuel cells in basic environments. Nonetheless, a significant proportion of MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e comprises catalytically inactive basal planes, with active sites predominantly localized at its edges [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17\" citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]. Inherent layered structure and pronounced surface energy of MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e cause aggregation of nanosheets thereby diminishing the reachability of the available edge sites. Consequently, the conductivity and electrocatalytic performance of pure MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e are significantly inferior when compared to platinum-containing catalysts [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR20\" citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. To deal with this challenge, three approaches were proposed. One potential solution involves the doping MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e using transition metals like nickel, cobalt and copper to enhance its performance in ORR applications. For instance, Rajith \u003cem\u003eet al\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. declared a methodology for augmenting the ORR performance of MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e through hydrothermally intercalating cobalt hydroxide. Their findings elucidated an effective means of addressing intrinsic limitations, including restricted accessibility to surface sites and diminished conductance. The assessed Tafel slope of the nanocomposite through ORR was measured at 63 mV dec\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, in contrast to the 68 mV dec\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e exhibited by the Pt/C catalyst and the number of electron transported for that composite was calculated to be within the range of 3.2 to 3.6. Ultimately, when subjected to durability testing over 2000 cycles, the current maintenance durability of this nanocomposite surpassed that of Pt/C. The second effective approach is incorporation of MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e with carbonaceous materials like (rGO (T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e), CNTs), since possess large surface and commendable electrical conductance mitigating the challenges related to conductivity and aggregtion of MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e sheets. Jiahao and colleagues synthesized an ultrathin T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanosheet which is proposed as an effective electrocatalyst for the OER, that also commended for ORR. The synthesized nanosheets exhibited a Tafel slope of 53 mV dec\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, while the corresponding value for Pt/C was 40 mV dec\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e. Their findings confirmed that the ORR performance of T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and Pt/C were remarkably comparable. Additionally, the defect-rich nanosheets shows a four-electron pathway. The third strategy involves merging metallic elements with the MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanosheet, which enhances the Fermi energy and introduces a plethora of active catalytic sites, thereby improving ORR activity. Prabhakar Vattikuti \u003cem\u003eet al\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. applied a silver (Ag) coating to the surface of the material utilizing a microwave synthesis method that exhibited a remarkable stability comparable to Pt/C [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this article, we used T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e as an abbreviation for rGO and T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e for MoS₂/rGO. However, in the figures and charts, the terms rGO and MoS₂/rGO are used. The observed ORR efficiency of the Ag/MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e could be ascribed to the unique heterostructure formed between silver and MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, as well as its enhanced specific surface area. This nanohybrid exhibited remarkable stability over the course of 2000 cycles, with the ORR process occurring on the Ag/MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e substrate via a four-electron reaction pathway. In light of these findings, MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, recognized for its superior physical and chemical characteristics, could be effectively employed as both a catalytic support and a catalyst within electrodes of fuel cell. Lately, transition metals have been utilized either in isolation or in hybrid forms across a variety of applications, for example water splitting, air batteries and fuel cells [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR26 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 CR33 CR34 CR35 CR36 CR37 CR38\" citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e]. Furthermore, to elucidate synergistic effects, numerous investigations have been undertaken in the realm of ORR activity, predominantly employing combinations of single-atom metals, metal oxides and carbon materials. In numerous instances, such synergistic effects significantly enhance onset and half-wave potential, the quantity of active sites, diffusion current density, and the quantity of electrons transported during the ORR. Consequently, this results in an augmentation in both the electrical conductance and electrocatalytic performance of the electrocatalysts. Mehrpooya and colleagues [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. successfully developed a CoMnNi-LDH/N, S-T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e composite, which functions as an innovative ORR electrocatalyst. Their findings confirmed that the incorporation of N, S-T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e into the CoMnNi-LDH substantially enhanced the ORR performance, attributable to the synergistic interactions present between the constituents. The onset potential for this catalyst were measured at 0.032 V (vs.Ag/AgCl) and the quantity of electrons transferred was obtained 3.65, aligning closely with a 4-electron pathway for the ORR. Ultimately, the ORR performance of the synthesized structure was juxtaposed with performance of the commercial 20% Pt/C. Mehrpooya \u003cem\u003eet al\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e]. Also, developed an innovative electrocatalyst consisting of GO/graphitic carbon nitride and CuFe/N-C@Co nanoparticles rooted within a N-doped CNTs. They analyzd the innovative structure in a basic environment using a three-electrode cell system. The onset potential of their composite was determined as 0.025 V (vs.Ag/AgCl). Furthermore, the quantity of conveyed electron was assessed to be 3.78, indicating that the ORR predominantly come after a 4-electron pathway, alongside a partially 2-electron mechanism within the electrocatalyst. In a recent investigation Mehrpooya \u003cem\u003eet al\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e]. developed Co\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e nanorods on cerium-doped porous graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets, serving as an effective electrode for supercapacitors and an electrocatalyst for ORR. For the Ce-PGCN, NS/Co\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e composite, the onset potential obtained 0.019 V vs. Ag/AgCl and quantity of transferred electron was 3.86. Additionally, Ce-PGCN, NS/Co\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e exhibited exceptional stability and endurance throughout redox reactions. In another study Kamali \u003cem\u003eet al\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]. examined the functionalities of Cu@Fe/N-C composite in supercapacitor and ORR. Their findings indicated that Cu@Fe/N-C demonstrated excellent ORR activity, onset potential as 0.032 V vs. Ag/AgCl when protected by mSiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, in contrast to the unprotected variant (0.162 V vs.Ag/AgCl). Moreover, the mean quantiy of electron conveyed was determined 3.55.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWenjun \u003cem\u003eet al\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e]. have reported the utilization of ZnCoMnO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e/N-T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e as a very effective electrocatalyst for both ORR and OER in zinc-air batteries. Their synthesized electrocatalyst demonstrated exceptional ORR and OER performance in a 0.1 M KOH electrolyte, exhibiting a half-wave potential of 0.14 V relative to the vs.Ag/AgCl for th ORR, alongside a 1.57 V onset potential for the OER. Huang \u003cem\u003eet al\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e]. presented Co\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e/Mn\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e-T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e which designed to function in rechargeable zinc-air batteries, ORR and OER catalysis. The catalyst exhibited considerable ORR performance, reflected by a half-wave potential of 0.11 V versus Ag/AgCl, and remarkable OER performance with an onset potential of 1.59 V at a current density of 10 mA cm\u0026sup2;. Xinfu \u003cem\u003eet al\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]. introduced a coordinated 3D Fe\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e-T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e structure for the ORR. Their synthesized electrocatalyst demonstrated superior efficacy in the ORR compared to the commercially available Pt/C, characterized by a significant limiting current density of 4.6 mA cm\u0026sup2;, comparable to the value corresponding to Pt/C (4.7 mA cm\u0026sup2;), a high quantity of transfered electron approximately four (~\u0026thinsp;4), as well as exceptional lasting endurance to methanol in basic environments. For Fe\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e-T\u003csub\u003e1,\u003c/sub\u003e the recorded onset potential was 0.117 V versus Ag/AgCl and half-wave potential was 0.263 V versus Ag/AgCl, significantly more than onset potential and half-wave potential observed for Fe\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e and T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e, and close to corresponding values of Pt/C (0.071 V versus Ag/AgCl and 0.185 V versus Ag/AgCl, correspondingly). our investigation indicates within the domain of fuel cells, a paucity of studies cocerning the integration of transition trimetallic, carbonaceous materials and MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e in ORR applications. This study aimed to integrate cost-effective transition tri metalic (CoCuFe) and carbon-based materials (T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e) with MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, utilizing a straightforward method. It is anticipated that the remarkable conductance and elevated catalytic performance of the CuFeCo-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e composite, derived from a synergistic interaction, will render its activity superior to that of Pt/C in the context of ORR. In this context, the performance of T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e, CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e, T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, and CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e concerning ORR activity was meticulously assessed through parameters such as half-wave potential, onset potential, diffusion current density and transported electrons quantity, in order to elucidate the collaborative impacts conception comprehensively.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Experimental","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eMaterials\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eGraphite powder, potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, hydrochloric acid (35\u0026ndash;37%), sodium hydroxide, sodium molybdate, L-cysteine [HSCH\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eCH(NH\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e)COOH, 98%], copper(II) nitrate hexahydrate, cobalt(II) nitrate hexahydrate, iron(III) nitrate nonahydrate, ethylene glycol, sulfuric acid, ethanol and NMP were procured from Merck Company. The Pt/C powder (20 wt%, Fuel Cells Etc) and Nafion solution (5 wt%, DuPont), also were employed.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"Heading\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSynthesis of Graphene oxide (GO)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo synthesize GO the modified Hummers' method was utilized [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e]. In a beaker, 2 g of graphite powder was initially introduced to 46 mL of sulfuric acid while maintaining gentle agitation at 5\u0026deg;C. Subsequently, 6 g of KMnO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e was incorporated into the beaker for a duration of 30 minutes, followed by continuous stirring for 2 hours to ensure homogeneity. Thereafter, the resultant mixture was heated to 35\u0026deg;C and maintained under this thermal situation for 6 hours. Following this, 92 mL of deionized water (DI) was cautiously introduced to the mixture, which had constantly agitated for 1 hour befor the introduction of additional 280 mL of DI water. Subsequently, a hydrogen peroxide (H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e) solution was introduced into the mixture until a distinct change in color to a vibrant yellow was observed. Shortly thereafter, a hydrochloric acid solution (5% v/v) was added to the solution to facilitate the removal of impurities. Further, the resulting light brown GO mixture was subjected to centrifugation and rinsed with water til achieving a pH level of 7. At last, the sediments were freeze-dried to yield the GO in solid form.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eT nanosheet synthesis\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eT\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanosheets were synthesized in a hydrothermal process. 170 mg of sodium hydroxide and 35 mg of GO were combined with 40 mL of NMP. Next, 190 mg of sodium molybdate and 370 mg of L-cysteine were amalgamated and mixed for 40 minutes. The entire solution was then transferred to an autoclave and thereafter, put in an oven with a temperature of 220\u0026deg;C for 20 hours; ultimately, the resultant sediments were subjected to centrifugation, rinsed thoroughly with copious amounts of deionized water and ethanol, then sediments were dried at 60\u0026deg;C for 18 hours.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCoCuFe-T synthesis\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe deposition of iron, cobalt and copper particles on \u003cb\u003eT\u003c/b\u003e\u003csub\u003e\u003cb\u003e2\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/sub\u003e nanosheets was accomplished utilizing the ethylene glycol reduction method. Initially, 0.063 grams of Fe(NO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e)\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e.9H2O ,0.043 grams of Co(NO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e).6H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO and 0.033 grams of Cu(NO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e).6H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO were introduced into 40 mL of ethylene glycol. Following the adjustment of the pH to 12 (to enhance the loading efficiency of CoCuFe nanoparticles on the T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanosheet), 0.1 grams of the support material was incorporated into the mixture. The aggregate metal composition in the nanocomposite was established at 20 wt% relative to the T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e support. Subsequently, the composite structure was subjected to ultrasonication for 15 minutes and subsequently heated to 150\u0026deg;C for 4 hours via a reflux method. Finally, after centrifugation and thorough washing of the resultant black sediments with an adequate volume of water, it was dried for 20 hours at 60\u0026deg;C. Figure. 1(a) illustrates the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite fabrication process schematically [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results and Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe morphologies of GO, T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, and CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposites were analyzed through SEM imaging (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e(b), (c), and (d)). The SEM picture of GO illustrates the presence of numerous wrinkles and rumples manifested on its structure resembling a sheet (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e(b)). As depicted in Figure. 1(c) and (d), both samples indicate nanolayers are arranged in a piled configuration, thus forming column-like structures composed of nanosheets. These configurations are likely to provide an increased number of specific catalytic regions on a surface that facilitate electrocatalysis due to the enhanced edge availability. According to the data presented in Figure. 1(d), the surface of T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e has been adorned with CoCuFe nanoparticles. Although nanoparticles are not seen to be homgeniously distributed, it is apparent that the tiny magnitude of the nanoparticles limits the capability of SEM imaging to reveal them.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe incorporation of CoCuFe nanoparticles on catalyst support did not compromise the column-like architecture of the nanosheets, indicating that the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite retained its morphological integrity despite the presence of trimetallic nanoparticles on the surface of T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e(d)). Whereas the SEM imagery of the nanocomposite was unable to depict the catalysts, their existence was corroborated through EDS analysis [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnergy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) spectrum pertaining to the nanocomposite, the identification of elements including C, O, Mo, S, Cu, Fe, Co, and combine, is substantiated within the nanocomposite, thereby confirming the successful synthesis of CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e. Furthermore, the elemental color mapping of the nanocomposite illustrates the cobalt, iron and copper elements were evenly distributed across the surface of T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanosheets. (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (h))\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e. The TEM image of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite clearly reveals that the MoS\u003csub\u003e₂\u003c/sub\u003e nanolayers are successfully integrated onto the T1 sheets. Additionally, CoCuFe nanoparticles appear as small black spots of varying diameters embedded within the supporting matrix. These nanoparticles indicate a well-dispersed distribution of the cobalt, copper, and iron metals, contributing to the enhanced physical and chemical properties of the composite.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo assess the crystalline characteristics of the synthesized products, the X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis was conducted (as illustrated in Figure. 4(a)). A keen peak is observable at 12.95\u0026deg; within the XRD spectrum of GO that is associated with the (002) plane of graphite (JCPDS no. 41-1487), indicating a significant expansion of the interlayer distance within the graphite structure [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e]. The XRD spectrum of T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e confirms the structure of the MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanosheets is hexagonal (JCPDS no. 37-1492). Meanwhile, the peaks positioned at 16.87\u0026deg;, 32.45\u0026deg;, 34.08\u0026deg;, 39.71\u0026deg;, and 57.05\u0026deg; are ascribed to the (002), (100), (101), (103), and (110) planes of the MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, correspondingly.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotably, the position related to (002) peak is observed to be slightly upshifted compared with the standard reference card. The XRD spectrum corresponding to the nanocomposite aligns well with that of T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e. Moreover, it reveals peaks at 44.04\u0026deg;, 51.40\u0026deg;, and 75.52\u0026deg;, associated with lattice spacings of 0.202 nm, 0.175 nm, and 0.129 nm, appropriately corresponding to the (111), (200), and (220) planes of cubic CoCuFe nanoparticles (JCPDS no. 06-6296) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]. Raman spectrum of all products are presented in the Figure. 4(b). The measurments acquired reveals that for the T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e composite the characteristic peaks are situated at 377 and 401 cm\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, whereas the distinct peaks of the nanocomposite are positioned at 378 and 399 cm\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, indicating the presence of the in-plane (E\u003csub\u003e2g\u003c/sub\u003e) and out-of-plane (A\u003csub\u003e1g\u003c/sub\u003e) vibrational modes of MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e within the analyzed structures, correspondingly [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e]. Differential value between the wave numbers corresponding to E\u003csub\u003e2g\u003c/sub\u003e and A\u003csub\u003e1g\u003c/sub\u003e determined the quantification of the MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e sheets [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e]. The peak entanglement observed in the nanocomposite (21 cm\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) is 3 cm\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e lower than that of the T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e composite, suggesting a reduced number of MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e layers that have formed on the T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e substrate.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, the enhanced growth of MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanosheets on T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e facilitates an increase in the availability of active sites. In the nanocomposite\u0026rsquo;s spectrum the peak positions of the E\u003csub\u003e2g\u003c/sub\u003e and A\u003csub\u003e1g\u003c/sub\u003e corroborate the diminished layer count associated with MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e. An increase in the frequency of the E\u003csub\u003e2g\u003c/sub\u003e mode, coupled with a decrease in the A\u003csub\u003e1g\u003c/sub\u003e mode frequency, indicates a decrease in the quantity of layers [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e]. The Raman spectra exhibited a couple of distinctive zeniths at 1502 and 1275 cm\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e where the former corresponds to the graphitic band (G band) of graphene and the latter is indicative of the disorder band (D band) in GO. For the T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e composite and the nanocomposite, the corresponding peak locations are observed at 1583 and 1348 cm\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, and 1585 and 1340 cm\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, respectively. The D peak to the G peak intensity ratio, I\u003csub\u003eD\u003c/sub\u003e/I\u003csub\u003eG\u003c/sub\u003e, serves as an indicator of the disorder degree within carbonaceous structure [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e56\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e57\u003c/span\u003e]. The disorder degree for GO, T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and the nanocomposite were calculated 0.98, 1.08, and 1.17, respectively, implying the existance of a greater number of defective sites within the nanocomposite.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluating the surface area and pore dimensions of the nanocomposite, BET analysis was applied. Obtained results indicate among the synthesized materials examined, the nanocomposite exhibits the highest specific surface area (82.00 m\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e g\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e(c)). The associated surface area for T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and GO are measured 61.35 m\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e g\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e and 40.58 m\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e g\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, respectively. The substrate surface area\u0026rsquo;s augmentation can be attributed to the incorporation of inherent porousity characteristics of trimetallic nanoparticles [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. The evident hysteresis loops observed in the type IV isotherm substantiate the presence of plentiful mesoporous microstructures across every samples. The average pore diameters and total pore volumes for GO, T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e were recorded at 19.727, 34.622, and 48.069 nm, alongside 0.0314, 0.0632, and 0.0874 cm\u003csup\u003e3\u003c/sup\u003eg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, correspondingly (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e(d)). The superior surface area and remarkably porous architecture of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite facilitate an increased availability of active sites and promote mass-electron transportation, thereby enhancing the oxygen reduction reaction performance.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe cyclic voltammetry (CV) profiles of nanocomposite and platinum on carbon (Pt/C) conducted in the context of O\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e- and N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e-saturated basic environment, have been systematically assessed to ascertain the oxygen reduction reaction efficiency of the electrodes as delineated in Figure. 5(a). The CV analyses revealed an absence of significant cathodic reduction current peaks across all synthesized electrodes, including the Pt/C variant. Subsequent to the purging oxygen from basic electrolyte, ORR peaks were observed at -0.131, -0.132 V for Pt/C, the nanocomposite, with the pertaining current densities recorded at 2.097 and 2.089 mA cm\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;2\u003c/sup\u003e correspondingly.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe potential corresponding to cathodic reduction peak of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e composite exhibited a shift towards a more positive potential relative to that of Pt/C, signifying a rapid reduction of CoCuFe and an enhanced ORR performance. Figure. 5(d) exhibits the (LSV) profiles of all samples assessed using a rotating disk electrode at 1600 rpm rotational speed. The results demonstrate the measured onset and half-wave potential for the investigated nanocomposite obtained \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.052 and \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.118 V correspeondingly, that indicate marginally lower value than those of Pt/C (-0.053 and \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.119 V) and exceeded the measurments recorded for the T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (-0.454 and \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.153 V), T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e (-0.987 and \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.161 V), CoCu-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (-0.432 and \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.148 V), and Co-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (-0.448 and \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.151 V). Furthermore, in CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite the diffusion-limited current density (3.64 mA cm⁻\u0026sup2;) surpassed corresponding value of the T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e (1 mA cm\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;2\u003c/sup\u003e), T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (2.63 mA cm⁻\u0026sup2;), CoCu-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (3.45 mA cm⁻\u0026sup2;) and Co-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (3.18 mA cm⁻\u0026sup2;), approaching the standard Pt/C value (3.98 mA cm⁻\u0026sup2;).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFor CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and Pt/C, the LSV profiles were illustrated across varying rotational speeds in Figs.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e(b) and (c) aimed at elucidating the reaction kinetics in the ORR procedure of these electrodes. As demonstrated, for these samples the limiting current densitiy exhibited an enhancement concomitant with the increase of the electrode's rotational speed; this phenomenon can be attributed to the minimization of the separation space between the electrocatalyst's surface on glassy carbon and the dissolved O\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e molecules in the electrolyte at elevated rotational velocities.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConsidering LSV profiles, a similarity in diffusion current is seen for the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite in comparison with Pt/C, that is owing to the superior electrical conductivity associated with T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e and functionality of MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e as a support that provides avaiable active sites, coupled with the elevation of the Fermi energy of the nanocomposite because of the trimetallic hybrids incorporation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGradient of the K-L plots in the ORR procedure, is indicative of the quantiy of transported electrons (n). Furthermore, as seen, the K-L plots corresponding to the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e exhibit commendable linearity, indicative of first-order kinetics Figure. 5(e) [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR59\" citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e58\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e60\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e. The resultant (n) quantities pertaining to ORR have been determined as (2.24), (2.78), (3.27), (3.55), (3.98) and 4 for T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e, T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, Co-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, CoCu-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and Pt/C, respectively. Based on the obtained (n) values for the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, it can be inferred that this nanocomposite uniquely facilitates the O\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e molecules reduction to H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO through a 4-electron transfer mechanism. The co-operative interactions among CoCuFe, MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e enhance the transfer dynamics of electron-ion within the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, thereby augmenting the reaction rate. Moreover, the dissociation of O\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e molecules occurs with greater ease, ultimately establishing a 4-electron pathway for the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo assess the ORR overpotential for catalysts, their associated Tafel slope have been calculated (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e(a)). In case of the nanocomposite, the Tafel slope has been determined as 59 mV dec\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, that is marginally top the Tafel slope of Pt/C (57 mV dec\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), and below the Co-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (65 mV dec\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), CoCu-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (61 mV dec\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (82 mV dec\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), and substantially less than corresponding value of T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e (104 mV dec\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e). Therefore, the mass transport limitations for the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e is less pronounced in comparison with the other synthesized catalsyts. These findings further corroborate the remarkable catalytic efficacy of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e towards ORR.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn determining the electrical conductivity of the samples, the electron transfer process inherent to the catalytic reaction is crucial. The (EIS) assessment elucidated the boundary characteristics and the electrochemical response kinetics of the materials. It was conducted within the frequency spectrum ranging from 10\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;6\u003c/sup\u003e to 10\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e Hz for all catalysts and the acquired plots were presented in Figure. 6(b).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSerial resistance (R\u003csub\u003eS\u003c/sub\u003e) could be determined with bulk resistance and catalyst conductance which serve as the principal determinants. The measured R\u003csub\u003eS\u003c/sub\u003e for the T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e, T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, Co-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, CoCu-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and Pt/C is 50.1, 40.08, 31.4, 27.5, 23.82 and 19.4 Ω, correspondingly. Obviously, CuFeCo-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e exhibited the lowest R\u003csub\u003eS\u003c/sub\u003e value among the synthesized materials, indicating its superior electrical conductivity. In high frequency region, the semicircle diameter indicates the resistance to electron transfer occurring at the boundary of the electrode and the electrolyte, while the straight line demeanor in the low-frequency domain reflects the diffusion capabilities. The electrocatalytic efficacy for all catalysts concerning the ORR is evaluated through the R\u003csub\u003ect\u003c/sub\u003e values. The integration of trimetallic components that diminishes internal resistance while enhancing ion diffusion results in a lower R\u003csub\u003ect\u003c/sub\u003e for CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (26.72 Ω) compared to that of CoCu-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (31.65 Ω), Co-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (32.27 Ω), T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (44 Ω) and T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e (51 Ω).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis resistance is slightly higher than Pt/C (25.98 Ω). This finding underscores the favorable electrocatalytic efficacy of the synthesized nanocomposite for the ORR.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry analysis demonstrated the stability and endurance for both the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and Pt/C as critical efficacy metrics. Figure. 6(c) and (d) shows CV responses of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and Pt/C with 1600 rpm rotational speed, indicating negligible changes in onset potential, limiting current density and half-wave potential, for the synthesized nanocomposite after 3000 cycles.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFollowing the stability assessment, the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite exhibited 0.11 mA cm\u0026sup2; decrease in current, while Pt/C depicted 0.30 mA cm\u0026sup2; reduction. Furthermore, commercial Pt/C experienced a 13 mV decrease in half-wave potential, and 25 mV reduction in its onset potential.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e(e) compares current response durability of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite and commercial Pt/C. After 14 hours of operation, 90.03% of initial current corresponding to CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e was remained, in contrast only 61.58% of initial current pertain to Pt/C retained. Notably, the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e exhibits enhanced stability compared with the commercial Pt/C electrode. The effective supporting role of the substrate facilitates the uniform distribution of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e hybrids. The findings indicate a remarkable prolonged stability of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e throughout the ORR.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdditionally, methanol tolerance of nanocomposite and Pt/C was assessed focusing on their normalized currents (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e(f)). Following the introduction of 3 M methanol, a significant decline was observed in the current of Pt/C reaching to 79.96% of the primary value, although in same circumstances, the current of nanocomposite was maintained. This observation indicates the nanocomposite surpasses Pt/C in the methanol tolerance, thereby rendering it very advantageous in alcohol fuel cells application.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn this work, CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite, consisting of trimetallic CoCuFe hybrids homogeneously dispersed across the columnar T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanosheets, was synthesized through a straightforward and cost-effective methodology. The columnar architecture of the nanocomposite was revealed via FESEM analysis, that provides an inhanced number of active sites for electrocatalytic reactions due to its optimized edge configuration. BET analysis, indicates the highest specific surface area among all examined structures belongs to the nanocomposite (82 m\u0026sup2;g⁻\u0026sup1;).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe surface area enhancement in the substrate can be attributed to the presence of trimetallic CoCuFe hybrids and their intrinsic porosity. The expansive surface region and the highly permeable architecture of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite facilitate a greater quantity of available active sites and increase mass-electron transport, thus benefiting the performance of the ORR. The homogenious and nanoscale distribution of trimetallic CoCuFe on the T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanosheets, as validated via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), exhibited remarkable ORR catalytic efficacy in basic environment, as evidenced by superior onset potential (-0.052 V), elevated current density (3.64 mA cm⁻\u0026sup2;), Tafel slope (59 mV dec⁻\u0026sup1;) and half-wave potential (-0.118 V).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite demonstrated enhanced endurance and stability compared with Pt/C. The incorporation of reduced Graphhene Oxide (T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e) as an electrocatalyst substrate enhances the electrical conductivity and active surface areas of the system. MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e fulfills a double role within the nanocomposite. From one view point, synthesizing MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e on T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e promotes the layered-form structures and mitigates agglomeration within MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, that serves as a secondary surface to deposit electrocatalyst. Specifically, the combination of MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e as a support increases the substrate's surface area, thereby allowing for a greater number of catalytic particles to be deposited, which in turn enhances catalytic activity. Conversely, MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, akin to Co, Cu and Fe, assumes a catalytic contribution within the nanocomposite. Thus, the integration of CoCuFe catalytic particles with MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e augments the Fermi energy of the CoCuFe particles and provides a multitude of active sites.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn conclusion, the synergistic interactions among CoCuFe hybrid particles, MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e and T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e promote the electron-ion transportation within the nanocomposite, resulting in an accelerated reaction rate. Consequently, oxygen molecules are more readily dissociated, leading to the establishment of a four-electron pathway for the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results acquired indicate the superior electrocatalytic activity of the CoCuFe-T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e nanocomposite in comparison with commercial Pt/C. These findings could contribute in developing a sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient electrocatalyst suitable in fuel cells, supercapacitors, and lithium batteries application.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003ch2\u003eDeclaration of competing interest\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe authors confirm that there are no known financial interests or personal relationships that could have been perceived as influencing the research presented in this paper.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFunding sources\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAuthor contributionsAdeleh Jafari Zarandini : Conceptualization, Investigation, Formal analysis, Writing e Original Draft, Visualization, Writing - Review \u0026amp; Editing, Validation. Ali Bahari: Supervision,Conceptualization, Resources, Writing - Review \u0026amp; Editing,Validation. Hajar Rajaei Litkouhi: Advision, Conceptualization, Resources, Writing - Review \u0026amp; Editing, Validation.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSingh SK, Takeyasu K, Nakamura J. Active sites and mechanism of oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysis on nitrogen-doped carbon materials. 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Catal Commun 2011;16:35\u0026ndash;8. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.catcom.2011.08.038\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1016/j.catcom.2011.08.038\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"research-on-chemical-intermediates","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"rint","sideBox":"Learn more about [Research on Chemical Intermediates](http://link.springer.com/journal/11164)","snPcode":"11164","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11164/3","title":"Research on Chemical Intermediates","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"CoCuFe nanoparticles, MoS2/rGO, ORR (oxygen reduction reaction), Electrocatalytic applications","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6730475/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6730475/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study introduces a novel and innovative approach by designing a trimetallic nanocomposite catalyst for enhancing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The unique trimetallic structure significantly improves catalytic performance and clearly distinguishes this work from previous studies. Compared to conventional platinum-based and bimetallic catalysts, this trimetallic system offers superior activity, enhanced stability, and better resistance to degradation, making it a promising candidate for high-performance electrocatalytic applications.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this study, MoS2/reduced graphene oxide (MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO) nanosheets are synthesized via a hydrothermal method, followed by the deposition of Copper-Cobalt-Iron (CuCoFe) transition trimetallic hybrids onto the ultrathin MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO substrate through a straightforward ethylene glycol reduction process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis confirm the uniform distribution and consistent dispersion of CuCoFe nanoparticles on the catalyst support surface. The nanocomposite demonstrates exceptional catalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) under alkaline conditions, attributed to the synergistic interaction between CuCoFe trimetallic alloys and the MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO substrate. Key electrochemical metrics include a high current density of 3.64 mA cm⁻\u0026sup2;, a half-wave potential of -0.118 V vs. Ag/AgCl, and an onset potential of -0.052 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Moreover, the CuCoFeMoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO electrode exhibits remarkable durability (90.03%) and methanol resistance (100%), significantly outperforming the Pt/C benchmark (61.58% and 79.96%, respectively). The analysis of the Koutecky-Levich (K-L) plots indicates a four-electron transfer process. The synergistic effects of rGO\u0026rsquo;s excellent conductivity and high aspect ratio, alongside MoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e's catalytic properties and the introduction of CuCoFe transition trimetallic hybrids, position CuCoFeMoS\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e/rGO as a promising candidate for high-performance electrocatalytic applications.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"CoCuFe-MoS 2 /rGO as pioneer electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-06-23 09:25:21","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6730475/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-08-07T08:13:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-08-04T02:28:35+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-08-02T14:31:50+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"163862991820744144502445691754812482518","date":"2025-07-31T10:30:11+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"294066791971264251991654019202428548280","date":"2025-07-27T13:04:56+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"54508883321318273962234698208297287810","date":"2025-07-26T09:57:13+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"327562492873019294114125463143498826051","date":"2025-07-10T03:28:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-06-23T08:13:33+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"276623327267302442403461308092991599880","date":"2025-06-21T02:53:50+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-06-19T01:11:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-05-26T14:11:02+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-05-26T14:09:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Research on Chemical Intermediates","date":"2025-05-23T07:33:46+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"research-on-chemical-intermediates","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"rint","sideBox":"Learn more about [Research on Chemical Intermediates](http://link.springer.com/journal/11164)","snPcode":"11164","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11164/3","title":"Research on Chemical Intermediates","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"5ac1d346-b3b3-48c9-a2cd-a7f32a40beeb","owner":[],"postedDate":"June 23rd, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-09-22T16:00:12+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-6730475","link":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11164-025-05728-9","journal":{"identity":"research-on-chemical-intermediates","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Research on Chemical Intermediates"},"publishedOn":"2025-09-18 15:57:43","publishedOnDateReadable":"September 18th, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-06-23 09:25:21","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1007/s11164-025-05728-9","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11164-025-05728-9","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6730475","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6730475","identity":"rs-6730475","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}