Facile synthesis of SmSe₂ over multiwalled carbon nanotubes for efficient water-splitting applications

The next generation of lightweight, flexible electronic equipment allows mechanical bending compatible with roll-to-roll technologies. In a novel method, a hydrothermal, wide potential is applied for the synthesis of samarium selenide–multiwalled carbon nanotubes (SmSe₂–MWCNT) composite material. The chemical and physical characteristics for SmSe₂–MWCNT are investigated with electrochemical assessments and X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Under alkaline conditions, the SmSe₂/MWCNT electrocatalyst shows a good activity for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). SmSe₂–MWCNT nanocomposites appear to be good OER candidates in alkaline environments because of high ratio of catalytically active sites and faster electron movement, which increased the material’s conductivity, with current density, overpotential, and Tafel slope of 10 mA cm⁻², 315 mV, and 73 mV dec⁻¹, respectively, and displayed decent stability of 20 h via chronoamperometry test. The findings demonstrate that the SmSe₂–MWCNT electrode could be employed as a potential candidate for hydrogen production.