Self-supported Cu₃P nanowire electrode as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Hydrogen is a promising clean energy carrier, but its efficient production via water electrolysis is hindered by the slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics at the anode.
• Developing cost-effective and highly active non-noble metal catalysts is crucial for advancing water electrolysis technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a self-supported copper phosphide nanowire (Cu3P NWs/CF) electrode for efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysis.
• To investigate the catalytic performance, stability, and scalability of the developed electrode for water electrolysis.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Cu3P NWs/CF electrode via electrodeposition of Cu(OH)2 nanowires on copper foam followed by a phosphating treatment under N2 atmosphere.
• Electrochemical evaluation of the electrode's OER performance in 1.0 M KOH solution, including overpotential and current density measurements.
• Assessment of the electrode's long-term stability and scalability for potential industrial applications.

Main Results:

• The Cu3P NWs/CF electrode demonstrated excellent OER catalytic activity, requiring an overpotential of 327 mV to achieve a current density of 20 mA cm-2.
• The electrode exhibited remarkable stability, operating continuously for 22 hours at 20 mA cm-2 without significant performance degradation.
• The synthesis strategy proved effective for producing large-area electrodes (e.g., 40 cm-2), indicating potential for mass fabrication.

Conclusions:

• The self-supported Cu3P NWs/CF electrode offers a highly efficient and stable non-noble metal catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction in water electrolysis.
• The unique nanostructure and robust electrode construction contribute to the superior catalytic performance.
• This work presents a viable approach for the mass production of advanced OER catalysts, promoting the kinetics of water splitting for hydrogen generation.