Fabrication of vanadium telluride anchored on carbon nanotubes nanocomposite for overall water splitting

Electrocatalytic water splitting is an essential hydrogen production method for resolving present energy shortage and progress toward more efficient technologies. For this purpose, a versatile and cheap electrocatalysts are the main challenge along the way. In this report, we synthesized vanadium telluride and carbon nanotube (VTe-CNT)-based nanocomposite via facile hydrothermal route. The VTe-CNTs are characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller. These characterizations depict nanosphere structures, morphology, and high surface area that maintains high porosity, which are essential for inclusive water-splitting phenomena in 1.0 M solution of KOH. Additionally, the electrochemical performance of VTe-CNTs has shown best O2 evolution reactions activity with of onset potential of 1.42 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode and required 10 mA/cm2 of current density at 278 mV overpotential, which is excellent among other electrocatalysts, VTe (342 mV@10 mA/cm-2) and CNTs (365 mV@10mA/cm-2). Moreover, VTe-CNT exhibits remarkable stability for almost 20 h. It also requires a low onset potential of 0.05 V with a small Tafel slope of 47 mV/dec for H2 evolution reactions. Hence, this research might facilitate the easy transportation of electrons and open up the new era, serving as an excellent replacement for noble metal-derived materials.