Unveiling novel SnS₂/Zn₂V₂O₇ composite for water splitting and ascorbic acid detection

The development of efficient, adaptable and reliable electrocatalysts for water splitting represents a significant challenge in electrochemical research. Herein, we have synthesized novel SnS₂/Zn₂V₂O₇ composite catalysts to address this concern. Electrocatalytic tests reveals that SSZV-50 (containing 50 % Zn₂V₂O₇) catalyst exhibits low overpotentials (η) of 420 and 300 mV, with tafel slopes of 67.38 and 136.97 mV/dec for OER and HER, respectively, at 100 mA/cm² in 1.0 M KOH. Moreover, the bifunctional composite SSZV-50 demonstrates low cell voltage of 1.66 V to achieve 100 mA/cm² in two-electrode system. Additionally, as-prepared SSZV-50 manifests exceptional sensitivity for ascorbic acid detection, with LOD and LOQ values of 0.85 and 2.6 mM, respectively. The outstanding performance of SnS₂/Zn₂V₂O₇ is attributed to enhanced active sites at the interface and improved conductivity. This study highlights the promising electrocatalytic performance of SnS₂/Zn₂V₂O₇ composite, suggesting its potential application in efficient hydrogen production via water splitting and sensitive detection of ascorbic acid for electrochemical sensing applications.