Achieving High Electrocatalytic Efficiency on Copper: A Low-Cost Alternative to Platinum for Hydrogen Generation in Water

95 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A phosphate mediated (photo)electro-reduction process has been developed to activate cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) to copper-cuprous oxide (Cu/Cu₂O) for high efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in water at neutral pH. The activated copper-based electrode can efficiently catalyze HER with an impressive onset potential of -30 mV vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), low Tafel slope of 60-80 mV·decade^-1 and exchange current density j₀ of 3.0 × 10^-5 A·cm^-2. This represents the first highly active copper-based electrocatalyst that could be used as a low-cost alternative to Pt for water electrolysis.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	4115-4120
Number of pages	6
Journal	ACS Catalysis
Volume	5
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.5b00556
Publication status	Published - Jun 9 2015
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 American Chemical Society.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Catalysis
General Chemistry

Keywords

copper electrode
cuprous oxide
electrocatalysis
hydrogen evolution
phosphate

Access to Document

10.1021/acscatal.5b00556

Cite this

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title = "Achieving High Electrocatalytic Efficiency on Copper: A Low-Cost Alternative to Platinum for Hydrogen Generation in Water",

abstract = "A phosphate mediated (photo)electro-reduction process has been developed to activate cuprous oxide (Cu2O) to copper-cuprous oxide (Cu/Cu2O) for high efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in water at neutral pH. The activated copper-based electrode can efficiently catalyze HER with an impressive onset potential of -30 mV vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), low Tafel slope of 60-80 mV·decade-1 and exchange current density j0 of 3.0 × 10-5 A·cm-2. This represents the first highly active copper-based electrocatalyst that could be used as a low-cost alternative to Pt for water electrolysis.",

keywords = "copper electrode, cuprous oxide, electrocatalysis, hydrogen evolution, phosphate",

author = "Jian Zhao and Tran, {Phong D.} and Yang Chen and Loo, {Joachim S.C.} and James Barber and Xu, {Zhichuan J.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 American Chemical Society.",

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doi = "10.1021/acscatal.5b00556",

language = "English",

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T1 - Achieving High Electrocatalytic Efficiency on Copper

T2 - A Low-Cost Alternative to Platinum for Hydrogen Generation in Water

AU - Zhao, Jian

AU - Tran, Phong D.

AU - Chen, Yang

AU - Loo, Joachim S.C.

AU - Barber, James

AU - Xu, Zhichuan J.

PY - 2015/6/9

Y1 - 2015/6/9

N2 - A phosphate mediated (photo)electro-reduction process has been developed to activate cuprous oxide (Cu2O) to copper-cuprous oxide (Cu/Cu2O) for high efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in water at neutral pH. The activated copper-based electrode can efficiently catalyze HER with an impressive onset potential of -30 mV vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), low Tafel slope of 60-80 mV·decade-1 and exchange current density j0 of 3.0 × 10-5 A·cm-2. This represents the first highly active copper-based electrocatalyst that could be used as a low-cost alternative to Pt for water electrolysis.

AB - A phosphate mediated (photo)electro-reduction process has been developed to activate cuprous oxide (Cu2O) to copper-cuprous oxide (Cu/Cu2O) for high efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in water at neutral pH. The activated copper-based electrode can efficiently catalyze HER with an impressive onset potential of -30 mV vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), low Tafel slope of 60-80 mV·decade-1 and exchange current density j0 of 3.0 × 10-5 A·cm-2. This represents the first highly active copper-based electrocatalyst that could be used as a low-cost alternative to Pt for water electrolysis.

KW - copper electrode

KW - cuprous oxide

KW - electrocatalysis

KW - hydrogen evolution

KW - phosphate

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