One step synthesis of high-performance CoSe 2 /PPy nanocomposite for water oxidation in alkaline media

Abstract Electrochemical water splitting is an undergoing intensive investigation in an effort to report the environmental degradation and the energy problems. The progress of low-cost metal electrocatalysts with desirable electrocatalytic activity and long-lasting stability for quick oxygen evolution is a goal of the clean and sustainable energy industries. In this study, a CoSe2 nanoparticles are decorated on PPy to form CoSe2/PPy nanocomposite synthesized by controlled hydrothermal method. This method depends on the creation of cross-linked network of PPy, which makes it possible to include highly active sites. The CoSe2/PPy nanocomposite exhibits comparable activity toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in basic conditions, taking advantage of the metallicity of selenides and the development of a heterogeneous interface. The electrocatalyst performs efficiency with extremely low OER overpotential. On the other hand, the fabricated nanocomposite shows an overpotential of 215 mV with 43 mV/dec of Tafel slope at a current density 10 mA/cm2. The current study shows a unique method for creating highly active cobalt-based catalysts to improve the performance in long-lasting water splitting, also exposed new route for the widespread use in energy domains.