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A Dendritic Nanostructured Copper Oxide Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Author(s) -
Huan Tran Ngoc,
Rousse Gwenaëlle,
Zanna Sandrine,
Lucas Ivan T.,
Xu Xiangzhen,
Menguy Nicolas,
Mougel Victor,
Fontecave Marc
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201700388
Subject(s) - overpotential , electrocatalyst , copper , catalysis , oxygen evolution , oxide , inorganic chemistry , copper oxide , water splitting , materials science , chemistry , chemical engineering , nanoparticle , electrochemistry , nanotechnology , electrode , metallurgy , photocatalysis , organic chemistry , engineering
To use water as the source of electrons for proton or CO 2 reduction within electrocatalytic devices, catalysts are required for facilitating the proton‐coupled multi‐electron oxygen evolution reaction (OER, 2 H 2 O→O 2 +4 H + +4 e − ). These catalysts, ideally based on cheap and earth abundant metals, have to display high activity at low overpotential and good stability and selectivity. While numerous examples of Co, Mn, and Ni catalysts were recently reported for water oxidation, only few examples were reported using copper, despite promising efficiencies. A rationally designed nanostructured copper/copper oxide electrocatalyst for OER is presented. This material derives from conductive copper foam passivated by a copper oxide layer and further nanostructured by electrodeposition of CuO nanoparticles. The generated electrodes are highly efficient for catalyzing selective water oxidation to dioxygen with an overpotential of 290 mV at 10 mA cm −2 in 1 m NaOH solution.