Cu(OH) 2 @MoO 3 Nanorod Heterostructure for Efficient Overall Electrocatalytic Water Splitting in an Alkaline Medium

The rational design of cost-effective electrocatalysts with superior catalytic activity for overall water splitting (OWS) continues to pose a significant challenge. The combination of oxygen vacancies and the adaptable electronic structure in the Cu(OH) 2 heterostructure has made them highly appealing for catalytic applications. Herein, the Cu(OH) 2 and MoO 3 (Cu@MoO 3 ) nanorod heterostructure was prepared via a simple hydrothermal process. Subsequently, Cu(OH) 2 was anchored into the MoO 3 nanorods using a coprecipitation method. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy result confirmed the existence of mixed Mo 5+ and Mo 6+ oxygen states and oxygen vacancies in the Cu@MoO 3 heterostructure. The Cu@MoO 3 -3 electrocatalyst exhibited outstanding hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance, requiring overpotentials of 78 and 308 mV at 10 mA cm –2 in 1 M KOH, respectively. The constructed electrolyzer exhibits impressive durability, achieving 10 mA cm –2 at 1.56 V along with a Faradaic efficiency of 86.44% for O 2 production. This study demonstrates the successful synthesis of a catalyst via a hydrothermal process, highlighting its promising potential for future applications.