Facile synthesis of CuZrO₃@PPY nanohybrid balls embedded 3-dimensional network with synergistic effect for efficient oxygen evolution reaction

Perovskite type CuZrO₃ is an auspicious electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). On the other hand, CuZrO₃ catalytic activity, is restricted due to its slow electrical conductivity. Therefore, in this study we synthesize CuZrO₃ composite with conducting polypyrrole (PPY) such as CuZrO₃@PPY hybrid via hydrothermal route. The resulting CuZrO₃@PPY hybrid outperforms than the pristine CuZrO₃ and PPY in terms of OER electrocatalytic activity. CuZrO₃@PPY hybrid electrocatalysts showed better OER activities than those of CuZrO₃ and PPY, correspondingly. The PPY layering on the exterior of CuZrO₃ creates a conductive web for rapid electron transmission, and the connection among the PPY coat and CuZrO₃ encourages electron transport from PPY to CuZrO₃, which benefits the OER activity like low overpotential (226 mV) at specific current density of 10 mA/cm² and Tafel slope (76 mV/dec). The findings proves that surface modification with a conducting polymer can improve perovskite oxide's electrocatalytic activity.