Synergistic enhancement of oxygen evolution reaction catalysis with polythiophene-based composite electrodes incorporating NiCo-LDH and NiCo2S4

The synthesis and characterization of novel polythiophene (PTh)-based electrocatalysts incorporating NiCo-LDH and NiCo2S4 additives for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are investigated. NiCo-LDH and NiCo2S4 are synthesized using standard precipitation techniques and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). PTh-based composite coatings are electrodeposited on steel substrates with varying concentrations of NiCo-LDH and NiCo2S4. The electrochemical performance of the composite coatings is evaluated using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and stability tests. Results reveal that the incorporation of NiCo-LDH and NiCo2S4 enhances the catalytic activity of PTh-based electrocatalysts for OER, with PTh@NiCo2S4 exhibiting superior performance. The synergistic effects of the additives improve charge transfer kinetics and interfacial conductivity, leading to efficient oxygen generation. The study demonstrates the potential of tailored composite materials for advancing sustainable energy conversion technologies.