Tailoring a Multifunctional PEDOT/Co₃O₄‐CeO₂ Composite for Sustainable Energy Applications

Abstract

Energy sources play a crucial role in the development of the society. The gargantuan depletion of fossil fuels creates new glitches in the routine activities of human beings. Electrocatalysts can efficiently produce and store energy and, therefore, have the potential to alleviate this situation. A multifunctional electrocatalyst, Poly (3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)/cobalt oxide‐cerium oxide(PEDOT/Co3O4‐CeO2), is synthesized by incorporating mixed metal oxide to 3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) using the in situ chemical oxidative polymerization method and is employed for both energy production and storage applications. The successful synthesis of the catalyst is confirmed through various characterization techniques. The composite shows a specific capacity of 617.8 C g−1 and a specific capacitance value of 1298.1 F g−1. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) analysis shows that the composite requires a low overpotential of 163.1 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Synthesized electrocatalysts can effectively handle the energy related issues prevailing in the society.