The development of electrocatalysts based on the doping of copper over cobalt spinel supported on a microporous activated carbon has been studied. Both copper-cobalt and cobalt spinel nanoparticles were synthesized using a silica-template method. Hybrid materials consisting of an activated carbon (AC), cobalt oxide (Co3O4), and copper-doped cobalt oxide (CuCo2O4) nanoparticles, were obtained by dry mixing technique and evaluated as electrocatalysts in alkaline media for hydrogen evolution reaction. Physical mixtures containing 5, 10, and 20 wt.% of Co3O4 or CuCo2O4 with a highly microporous activated carbon were prepared and characterized by XRD, TEM, XPS, physical adsorption of gases, and electrochemical techniques. The electrochemical tests revealed that the electrodes containing copper as the dopant cation result in a lower overpotential and higher current density for the hydrogen evolution reaction.
Keywords: cobalt spinel; copper–cobalt oxide; electrocatalysts; hydrogen evolution reaction; microporous activated carbon.