Binder-Free Spinel Co2CuO4 Nanosheet Electrodes with Cu-Driven Kinetic Enhancement for Alkaline OER Applications

Developing electrocatalysts that are efficient and durable for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is essential for improving the energy efficiency of alkaline water splitting. Spinel-type transition-metal oxides have emerged as promising non-noble alternatives; however, their catalytic performance is often limited by sluggish charge transport and insufficient utilization of active sites. Herein, we present a systematic comparative study of electrodeposited Co3O4 (CO-300) and Cu-substituted Co2CuO4 (CCO-300) nanosheet films directly grown on Ni foam. Structural, morphological, and spectroscopic analyses reveal that Cu2+ integration into Co-oxide spinel lattice modifies the local electronic environment and produces a more open and interconnected nanosheet architecture, thereby enhancing conductivity and increasing the density of accessible redox-active sites. As a result, the optimized CCO-300 exhibits superior catalytic performance at higher current densities, along with a smaller Tafel slope (44 mV dec–1), a larger electrochemically active surface area (ECSA), and reduced charge-transfer resistance compared to CCO-300, indicating accelerated reaction kinetics and improved electron-ion transport. Furthermore, the multistep chronopotentiometry measurements and long-term stability tests over 100 h at current densities of 10 and 250 mA cm–2 highlight the excellent operational stability of the CCO-300 catalyst.