Efficient and sustainable hydrogen evolution reaction: enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of ReO3-incorporated Cu2Te catalysts

Abstract

In the pursuit of clean hydrogen production, the photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) plays a pivotal role. The development of highly efficient, durable catalysts is vital for the industrialization of water-splitting technology. One promising strategy is the fabrication of self-supported catalysts, which are known for their exceptional activity and durability. In this study, we report the synthesis of copper telluride (Cu₂Te) incorporated with rhenium oxide (ReO₃) via a CVD-assisted route. The electrochemical and photoelectrochemical HER performance analyses reveal that the ReO₃–Cu₂Te composite exhibits excellent HER performance with a very low overpotential of −0.026 V at −10 mA cm⁻² in the presence of light. This exceptional performance positions the ReO₃–Cu₂Te composite as a promising candidate to replace the expensive state-of-the-art platinum catalyst.