Fabrication and Bifunctional Electrocatalytic Performance of Ternary CoNiMn Layered Double Hydroxides/Polypyrrole/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite for Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Reactions

•One-step fabrication of ternary CoNiMn-LDH/polypyrrole/RGO composite.•Excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic activity towards ORR and OER.•Existence of synergistic effect among different chemical compositions in composite.

It is of great and increasing interest to explore high-performance and low-cost bifunctional electrocatalysts towards oxygen reduction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reactions (OER) for fuel cell and water splitting systems. Herein, we fabricated ternary CoNiMn-Layered double hydroxides (LDH)/polypyrrole (PPy)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composite by one-step involving formation of the LDH and polymerization of the pyrrole (Py). Because of the synergistic effect among the different compositions, the prepared CoNiMn-LDH/PPy/RGO composite exhibits excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic activities with the lowest ΔE (EOER,10mAcm-2-EORR,-3mAcm-2) value of 0.85 V among the non-precious metal bifunctional electrocatalysts as reported in the literatures, and good electrochemical durability for the ORR and the OER in alkaline media. The CoNiMn-LDH/PPy/RGO as one of non-precious metal electrocatalysts shows promising applications in a potential system for fuel cells and water splitting systems.

Graphical abstractWe successfully fabricated ternary CoNiMn-Layered double hydroxides (LDH)/polypyrrole (PPy)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composite by one-step involving formation of the LDH and polymerization of the pyrrole (Py). The composite exhibits excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic activities with the lowest ΔE (EOER,10 mA cm-2-EORR, -3 mA cm-2) value of 0.85 V, and promising electrochemical durability for the ORR and the OER in alkaline media.Download high-res image (177KB)Download full-size image