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A Cu‐Based Nanoparticulate Film as Super‐Active and Robust Catalyst Surpasses Pt for Electrochemical H 2 Production from Neutral and Weak Acidic Aqueous Solutions
Author(s) -
Zhang Peili,
Wang Mei,
Chen Hong,
Liang Yongqi,
Sun Junliang,
Sun Licheng
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201502319
Subject(s) - tafel equation , exchange current density , overpotential , electrocatalyst , materials science , catalysis , electrochemistry , aqueous solution , electrode , current density , hydrogen production , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , biochemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
Electrocatalysts that are stable and highly active at low overpotential ( η ) under mild conditions as well as cost‐effective and scalable are eagerly desired for potential use in photo‐ and electro‐driven hydrogen evolution devices. Here the fabrication and characterization of a super‐active and robust Cu‐Cu x O‐Pt nanoparticulate electrocatalyst is reported, which displays a small Tafel slope (44 mV dec −1 ) and a large exchange current density (1.601 mA cm −2 ) in neutral buffer solution. The catalytic current density of this catalyst film reaches 500 mA cm −2 at η = −390 ± 12 mV and 20 mA cm −2 at η = −45 ± 3 mV, which are significantly higher than the values displayed by Pt foil and Pt/C electrodes in neutral buffer solution and even comparable with the activity of Pt electrode in 0.5 m H 2 SO 4 solution.