Cobalt di-selenide embedded polymerised melamine paraformaldehyde resin: A robust and efficient electrocatalyst for OER with operando investigations

Abstract

In past research metal selenides have reported versatile results in the field of water splitting. Cobalt di-selenide has received much attention in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) due to its excellent results towards OER. To excel the reaction capability, herein we have reported CoSe2, pMF-R and CoSe2@pMF-R nanostructures in which the freshly prepared CoSe2 nanostructures were decorated on the surface of pMF-R (polymerised melamine paraformaldehyde resin). The study showed that the bonds between cobalt and nitrogen were well formed, which is maintaining the improved charge transfer channels to annihilate the barriers between the GC (glassy carbon) electrode surface and active sites of CoSe2. Because of the coaction of CoSe2 and pMF-R, the OER calibration of the CoSe2@pMF-R catalyst has shown a low onset potential 1.56 V and its electrochemical activity towards OER was found to be much higher as 10 mAcm−2 at 1.608 V Vs. RHE. Operando spectroelectrochemical investigations revealed that active sites of selenium, Co2+, Co3+ and pMF-R available for generation of intermediate oxygen species and responsible for exponential increase in rate of OER. The order of reaction is found to one. The compositional and structural characteristics of CoSe2@pMF-R composite over other electrocatalysts is responsible for outstanding electrochemical performance. © 2023