Reduced graphene oxide/CoSe₂ nanocomposites: hydrothermal synthesis and their enhanced electrocatalytic activity

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/CoSe₂ nanocomposites were synthesized by self-assembly of CoSe₂/DETA (DETA: diethylenetriamine) onto the surface of graphene oxide (GO), followed by subsequent chemical reduction of GO during a hydrothermal process. The as-synthesized products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman spectra, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The morphology of the CoSe₂ on the RGO nanosheets can be well controlled by adjusting the reaction time during the hydrothermal process. The catalytic activities of the RGO/CoSe₂ nanocomposites were investigated for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline conditions. It was found that the as-formed RGO/CoSe₂ nanocomposites show higher catalytic activity compared with the unsupported CoSe₂. In addition, the loading amounts and morphologies of CoSe₂ on RGO sheets have a great influence on the catalytic performance of RGO/CoSe₂. Our studies raise promising possibilities for designing effective OER electrocatalysts for energy conversion.