An amorphous CoSe film behaves as an active and stable full water-splitting electrocatalyst under strongly alkaline conditions

Abstract

It is attractive but still remains a big challenge to develop non-noble metal bifunctional electrocatalysts efficient for both oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under alkaline conditions. Herein, an amorphous CoSe film electrodeposited on a Ti mesh (a-CoSe/Ti) is demonstrated to exhibit high electrocatalytic activity and stability for both reactions in 1.0 M KOH. It needs overpotentials of 292 and 121 mV to drive 10 mA cm⁻² for OER and HER, respectively. The two-electrode alkaline water electrolyzer affords a water-splitting current of 10 mA cm⁻² at a cell voltage of 1.65 V. This work offers an attractive cost-effective catalytic material toward full water splitting applications.