Electrochemistry Communications (Oct 2025)
Synthesis and exploration of NiSe2-GO composites as electrocatalysts with high-performance oxygen evolution reaction
Abstract
In this study, NiSe2/GO composites were successfully synthesized by using a facile and effective chemical method to increase the catalytic activity and charge transfer efficiency for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The structural analysis confirmed the successful preparation of NiSe2 and NiSe2-GO (10 %, 25 %) composites. Similarly, the morphology of NiSe2 appeared to be nanocubes, whilst NiSe2-GO (10 %, 25 %) composites revealed features comprising of both NiSe2 nanocubes and GO sheets. The electrochemical performance of NiSe2 and NiSe2-GO (10 %, 25 %) composites was also investigated for enhanced OER. Among the synthesized compositions, NiSe2–25 % GO demonstrated the most superior electrocatalytic performance, which exhibited a significantly lower Tafel slope (66 mV/dec at 10 mV/s). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis further confirmed the high efficiency of NiSe2–25 % GO, where a smallest semicircle in the Nyquist plot was observed. In terms of overpotential, NiSe2–25 % GO achieved a remarkably low value of ∼350 mV, demonstrating superior catalytic efficiency compared to NiSe2–10 % GO (∼500 mV) and pristine NiSe2 (∼600 mV). The significantly reduced overpotential suggested that the NiSe2–25 % GO material required the least energy input to drive the reaction at a given current density. This enhanced performance was attributed to the synergistic effect between NiSe2 and GO, where the GO matrix provided a favorable pathway for electron transfer, while NiSe2 acted as an active catalytic site for OER. These findings highlight NiSe2–25 % GO as a highly effective and promising electrocatalyst for OER applications. Its superior charge transport characteristics, lower overpotential, and faster reaction kinetics make it a strong candidate for next-generation energy conversion and storage technologies.
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