Hydrothermal Synthesis of Cobalt Oxide/Nickel Foam Electrocatalysts for Efficient Hydrogen Production

Introduction: This study aimed to synthesize cobalt oxide/nickel foam (CoO/NF) materials on nickel foam using a hydrothermal method and to develop high-performance, non-precious metal catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Methods: CoO/NF electrodes were prepared via a hydrothermal method. Their morphologies and structures were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX and mapping). The HER performance of the electrodes was evaluated in 1 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution. Results: The CoO-8h/NF electrode exhibited an overpotential of −169 mV at a current density of 10 mA/cm², along with excellent cycling stability (almost no performance loss after 14 hours of testing). Under the same conditions, it showed a significantly lower overpotential and better stability compared to other non-precious metal catalysts. Discussion: The superior HER activity and stability of CoO-8h/NF provide valuable insights for the design of non-precious metal hydrogen evolution catalysts. However, the study is limited by the lack of in-depth exploration of how reaction conditions regulate catalytic performance. Conclusion: CoO-8h/NF demonstrates strong application potential for HER due to its low overpotential and high stability, laying a foundation for the development and application of low-cost materials in water electrolysis for hydrogen production.