Engineering active sites in ternary CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 heterointerface embedded in reduced graphene oxide for boosting water splitting activity

Abstract The rational design of highly efficient and stable bifunctional catalysts for overall water splitting is vitally important. In this study, to increase the active catalytic sites of CeO2 for electrochemical water splitting, a ternary CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 heterostructure, synthesized by coprecipita...

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Main Authors: Sahar Jafari, Zohreh Shaghaghi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87423-8
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author Sahar Jafari
Zohreh Shaghaghi
author_facet Sahar Jafari
Zohreh Shaghaghi
author_sort Sahar Jafari
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The rational design of highly efficient and stable bifunctional catalysts for overall water splitting is vitally important. In this study, to increase the active catalytic sites of CeO2 for electrochemical water splitting, a ternary CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 heterostructure, synthesized by coprecipitation method, is loaded on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets in different amounts to produce CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4@rGO nanocomposites. It is found that CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4@rGO nanocomposites show higher electrocatalytic activity than unsupported samples, and the best activity is observed when the wieght ratio of CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 is three times that of rGO. The CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4@rGO(3:1) requires low overpotentials of 130 and 270 mV for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER) at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Furthermore, this material demonstrates a large electrochemically active surface area, low charge transfer resistance, suitable kintics, and high long-term stability for both OER and HER. Additionally, when CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4@rGO(3:1) is used as self-supported electrodes for the overall water splitting reaction, a low cell voltage of 1.68 V is obtained. This superior performance is due to: (i) active multi-metal sites that produce strong synergistic effects; (ii) the high conductivity of rGO, which faciliate favorable electron transfer; and (iii) the homogenous anchoring of CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 on rGO, which increases the number of active sites available on the catalyst surface.
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spelling doaj-art-e26c9c0830d14132b4b73a8a3f2b30af2025-02-09T12:36:13ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111710.1038/s41598-025-87423-8Engineering active sites in ternary CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 heterointerface embedded in reduced graphene oxide for boosting water splitting activitySahar Jafari0Zohreh Shaghaghi1Coordination Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani UniversityCoordination Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani UniversityAbstract The rational design of highly efficient and stable bifunctional catalysts for overall water splitting is vitally important. In this study, to increase the active catalytic sites of CeO2 for electrochemical water splitting, a ternary CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 heterostructure, synthesized by coprecipitation method, is loaded on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets in different amounts to produce CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4@rGO nanocomposites. It is found that CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4@rGO nanocomposites show higher electrocatalytic activity than unsupported samples, and the best activity is observed when the wieght ratio of CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 is three times that of rGO. The CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4@rGO(3:1) requires low overpotentials of 130 and 270 mV for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER) at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Furthermore, this material demonstrates a large electrochemically active surface area, low charge transfer resistance, suitable kintics, and high long-term stability for both OER and HER. Additionally, when CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4@rGO(3:1) is used as self-supported electrodes for the overall water splitting reaction, a low cell voltage of 1.68 V is obtained. This superior performance is due to: (i) active multi-metal sites that produce strong synergistic effects; (ii) the high conductivity of rGO, which faciliate favorable electron transfer; and (iii) the homogenous anchoring of CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 on rGO, which increases the number of active sites available on the catalyst surface.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87423-8CeO2-Mn3O4-CuO@rGO nanocompositesOverall water splittingOxygen evolution reactionHydrogen evolution reactionElectrocatalyst
spellingShingle Sahar Jafari
Zohreh Shaghaghi
Engineering active sites in ternary CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 heterointerface embedded in reduced graphene oxide for boosting water splitting activity
Scientific Reports
CeO2-Mn3O4-CuO@rGO nanocomposites
Overall water splitting
Oxygen evolution reaction
Hydrogen evolution reaction
Electrocatalyst
title Engineering active sites in ternary CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 heterointerface embedded in reduced graphene oxide for boosting water splitting activity
title_full Engineering active sites in ternary CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 heterointerface embedded in reduced graphene oxide for boosting water splitting activity
title_fullStr Engineering active sites in ternary CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 heterointerface embedded in reduced graphene oxide for boosting water splitting activity
title_full_unstemmed Engineering active sites in ternary CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 heterointerface embedded in reduced graphene oxide for boosting water splitting activity
title_short Engineering active sites in ternary CeO2-CuO-Mn3O4 heterointerface embedded in reduced graphene oxide for boosting water splitting activity
title_sort engineering active sites in ternary ceo2 cuo mn3o4 heterointerface embedded in reduced graphene oxide for boosting water splitting activity
topic CeO2-Mn3O4-CuO@rGO nanocomposites
Overall water splitting
Oxygen evolution reaction
Hydrogen evolution reaction
Electrocatalyst
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87423-8
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