Bayberry-like Cu3BiS3 with 2D layered nanosheets of rGO and g-C3N4 for effective electrochemical HER activity
S. Swathi, R. Yuvakkumar, G. Ravi, S. Arunmetha, A. Arun, Dhayalan Velauthapillai
Abstract
Hydrogen production via electrochemical water splitting is still considered as solution for global energy demand. The ternary composite material of copper bismuth sulfide/reduced graphene oxide/graphitic carbon nitride (Cu 3 BiS 3 /rGO/g-C 3 N 4 ) electrocatalyst was produced via hydrothermal for HER activity. The X-ray diffraction study revealed that Cu 3 BiS 3 with carbon composite have orthorhombic phase with an average crystallite size as 43.1 nm. The Raman spectra of Cu 3 BiS 3 with carbon (rGO/g-C 3 N 4 ) composite revealed the existence of structural defects with I D /I G ratio of 1.01. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies was explored bayberry-like Cu 3 BiS 3 nanosphere formation with finely unified rGO and g-C 3 N 4 sheets. In an alkaline medium, the electrocatalytic performance demonstrates the enhancement of the Cu 3 BiS 3 catalyst due to the addition of rGO/g-C 3 N 4 with the low 111 mV overpotential and small 113 mV/dec Tafel slope value. The electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) of Cu 3 BiS 3 with carbon (rGO/g-C 3 N 4 ) composite was 127.25 cm 2 , whereas the ECSA values of Cu 3 BiS 3 and Cu 3 BiS 3 /rGO were 34.25 and 86.5 cm 2 , respectively. The results conclude that π-π interaction among rGO and g-C 3 N 4 can effectively improve the conductivity, active sites, surface area and porous nature of the obtained product, which leads to enhance HER performance. Therefore, morphology tuned carbon composite material would be a promising candidate in forthcoming cost-effective and large-scale water splitting applications.