Exploring the hierarchical Pd₁₃Cu₃S₇/rGO flower for improved oxygen evolution reactions in alkaline medium

Electrochemical water oxidation is a widely recognized pathway for addressing the desire for global energy to produce clean & environmentally sustainable energy. In this technique, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a key component and plays a significant role in water splitting. However, large-scale alkaline water electrolysis still faces significant challenges, particularly in developing stable, efficient, and cost-effective electrocatalysts. In this study, we synthesize low-cost and highly efficient PdCuS-based electrocatalyst supported on reduced graphene oxide (Pd₁₃Cu₃S₇/rGO) for the OER. Pd₁₃Cu₃S₇/rGO achieves a current density of 10 mA cm^–2 at an overpotential (η10) of 387 mV and a Tafel value of 96 mV dec⁻¹ in 1 M KOH for OER. We observe that the electrocatalytic performance of a catalyst is highly dependent on the experimental conditions and measurement techniques. Therefore, nanostructure demonstrates enhanced activity in water-splitting technology, which alleviates the limitations of commercial catalysts that rely on a single catalytic performance.