Simultaneous production of green hydrogen and decontamination of dye wastewater using WSe₂-CuO/graphite electrochemical cell

For the circular economy approach to wastewater treatment, recycling dye-contaminated wastewater while simultaneously producing green hydrogen (H-2) is deemed appropriate. The electrodes used in the wastewater electrolysis process were made of cent percent recyclable and environmentally benign graphite rod, cellulose paper, and WSe2-CuO electrocatalyst. Anode-side breakdown of organic dyes with a 95% degradation efficiency and cathode-side generation of green hydrogen have both been accomplished simultaneously. The as-prepared electrocatalyst were analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scan-ning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). WSe2-CuO electrocatalyst exhibits excellent electrochemical performance i.e. overpotential (141 mV at-10 mA cm(-2)), Tafel slope (80 mV dec(- 1)) and double layered capacitance (32.4 mF cm(-2)). Furthermore, a fast charge transfer activity, and stability of the electrocatalyst were observed through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and chronopotentiometry (over 20 h), respectively. A pressing need for technology development in the direction of circular sustainability may be seen in the strong demand for green hydrogen production, where the process can use industrial wastewater.