CoFeS₂@CoS₂ Nanocubes Entangled with CNT for Efficient Bifunctional Performance for Oxygen Evolution and Oxygen...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution (OER) and oxygen reduction (ORR) are vital for energy conversion and storage.
• Precious metal catalysts are effective but limited by cost and scarcity.
• Earth-abundant alternatives are urgently needed for large-scale applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop efficient, earth-abundant bifunctional electrocatalysts for both OER and ORR.
• To investigate a core-shell CoFeS2@CoS2 heterostructure entangled with carbon nanotubes.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a core-shell CoFeS2@CoS2 heterostructure.
• Entanglement of the heterostructure with carbon nanotubes.
• Electrochemical characterization of the material's performance in OER and ORR.

Main Results:

• The CoFeS2@CoS2 nanocubes entangled with carbon nanotubes demonstrated superior bifunctional electrocatalytic activity.
• Achieved a potential of 1.5 V (vs. RHE) at 10 mA cm-2 for OER in alkaline medium.
• Exhibited an onset potential of 0.976 V for ORR.

Conclusions:

• The developed core-shell heterostructure serves as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for both OER and ORR.
• This work provides a processing methodology for creating enhanced core-shell heterostructures.
• The findings pave the way for cost-effective catalysts in energy conversion and storage systems.