Cu_xO_y assisted metal organic frameworks derived CuSe₂ on porous nitrogen doped carbon as free standing electrocatalysts for electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction

Development of earth abundant and efficient electrocatalysts for generating hydrogen has escalated due to pressing demand for clean and sustainable energy sources. In this context, nanostructured transition metal chalcogenides obtained from metal organic frameworks were seen as ideal catalysts for HER process. In this study, we have developed copper selenide composites with nitrogen doped carbon on the copper foam (CuSe₂-NC-Cu) by sequential synthesis approaches, including wet chemical oxidation followed by hydrothermal and pyrolysis. The binder free CuSe₂-NC-Cu nanostructure exhibit improved electrochemical HER activity in alkaline condition. To be specific, the CuSe₂-NC-Cu nanohybrids requires an overpotential of only 86.66 mV to reach current density of 10 mA cm⁻² and 199.9 mV at high current density of 200 mA cm⁻² with lower Tafel slope value. Meanwhile, it presents high durability maintaining the overpotential for 80 h of long term chronopotentiometry test. This work is of great significance for the development of novel metal free catalysts for hydrogen production and provides promising nanomaterials in the field of electrocatalysts.