Morphological engineering of 2D layered copper sulfoselenides nanocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen production
The search for effective and efficient materials for renewable hydrogen production through the water-splitting process has intensified due to the growing demand for clean and sustainable energy sources. In this context, layered two-dimensional (2D) chalcogenides have become attractive options due to their unique structural and electrical properties. In this investigation, the 2D layered copper sulfide (CuS) and copper sulfoselenide (CuSSe) as the nanocatalysts have been carried out for the water-splitting applications. The morphologically engineered CuS and CuSSe nanosheets were achieved by an easy and scalable solvothermal technique, permitting mastery in the fabrication of high-quality 2D layers. The successful formation of a 2D layered structure was characterized by using several methods, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Further, the electrochemical studies of the CuS and CuSSe were conducted to investigate the water-splitting performance of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The laminar 2D nanostructured ternary CuSSe electrocatalyst exhibited a smaller overpotential of −270 mV with a Tafel value of 153 mV/dec with a three-fold enhancement in response rate compared to the binary sample. The results provided crucial insights for advancing the development of efficient and sustainable materials, which could play a key role in enabling clean hydrogen generation and contribute significantly to the ongoing efforts to establish a hydrogen-based energy system.
Acknowledgment: The author acknowledges the Project supported by the Competition for Research Regular Projects, year 2023, code LPR23-07, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, Santiago, Chile