Abstract:
Fuel cells seek attention with each passing day due to its significant characteristicslike no moving part and energy production, but this technology is alsofacingchallenges due to the use of Pt, Pd, Ru and Rh as conventional catalysts as thesemetals are rare and expensive also produce poisonous intermediates andlimit
reaction due to slow kinetics. To deal with these challenges, there is a needofefficient, cost effective and readily available catalyst to be used in fuel cell. In this research work a novel Cu MOF has been developed for oxygen evolutionreaction in water splitting process. The MOF has been synthesized by usingtwolinkers (Benzene dicarboxylic acid (BDC) & Pyrazine) along with its compositeswith different amount of reduced graphene oxide (1wt% C3N4-Cu MOF, 2wt%C3N4-Cu MOF, 3wt% C3N4-Cu MOF, 4wt% C3N4-Cu MOF, 5wt%C3N4-Cu MOFand8wt% C3N4-Cu MOF) through a hydrothermal method. The as-preparedcatalyst
series is characterized by multiple significant techniques like XRD, SEM, EDXandFTIR to confirm the successful synthesis and investigation of their structural andmorphological properties. The prepared series of material was later testedforelectrochemical oxygen evolution reaction through water splitting. Theelectrochemical activity of synthesized catalyst was tested by usinganelectrochemical technique of cyclic voltammetry (CV) in a basic mediumonmodified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by using three electrode systems. Theelectrochemical activity depicts that increasing concentration of C3N4 enhancedtheactivity of catalyst for OER. The oxygen evolution reaction catalyzed by CuMOFand C3N4-Cu MOF composites give a significant current density with a valueof22.1mA/cm2 at 0.9V potential at 50 mV/s scan rate. Electrochemical impedancespectroscopy results also showed lowest charge transfer Rct for 5wt%C3N4-CuMOFand this catalyst showed stability up to 16% over a period of 3600 seconds testedbychronoamperometry. These activity parameters make this Cu MOF a promisingcandidate for OER catalysis.
