3D Nano-Aerogel Electrocatalyst Based on Co and La ₂ O ₃ for Enhanced Water Splitting

Electrochemical water splitting is widely regarded as a promising technology for sustainable hydrogen production from water. Developing highly efficient electrocatalysts is critical to achieving superior water-splitting performance. A novel La 2 O 3 -Co/CNT nano-aerogel electrocatalyst is developed using a sol–gel method to enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance in water splitting. The synthesis strategy is based on creating oxidized carbon nanotubes (OCNTs) crosslinked with polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel, which facilitates the efficient retention of high-activity La 2 O 3 -Co particles after pyrolysis. The resultant La 2 O 3 -Co/CNT catalyst exhibits an efficient and stable electrocatalytic performance toward the HER and OER, including a low overpotential at 10[Formula: see text]mA cm[Formula: see text] for the HER (290[Formula: see text]mV) and OER (307[Formula: see text]mV). Moreover, the La 2 O 3 -Co/CNT catalyst exhibits nearly 100% Faradaic efficiency in water splitting. This high-performance catalyst not only advances efficient hydrogen production but also contributes to sustainable and environmentally friendly energy conversion.