Coconut-Water-Mediated Carbonaceous Electrode: A Promising Eco-Friendly Material for Bifunctional Water Splitting Application

Abstract

The organic and eco-friendly materials are extended to prevail over the worldwide energy crisis where bio-inspired carbonaceous electrode materials are being prepared from biogenic items and wastes. Here, coconut water is sprayed over three-dimensional (3D) nickel foam for obtaining a carbonaceous electrode material, i.e., C@Ni-F. The as-prepared C@Ni-F electrode has been used for structural elucidation and morphology evolution studies. Field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis confirms the vertically grown nanosheets of the C@Ni-F electrode, which is further employed in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), where excellent OER and HER performances with small overpotentials of 219 and 122 mV and with stumpy Tafel slopes, i.e., 27 and 53 mV dec(-1), are respectively obtained, suggesting a bifunctional potential of the sprayed electrode material. Moreover, sustainable bifunctional performance of C@Ni-F proves considerable chemical stability and moderate mechanical robustness against long-term operation, suggesting that, in addition to being a healthy drink to mankind, coconut water can also be used for water splitting applications.