Fabrication of NiCu interconnected porous nanostructures for highly selective methanol oxidation coupled with hydrogen evolution reaction
Date
2022-01-15Source Title
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Print ISSN
0360-3199
Electronic ISSN
1879-3487
Publisher
Elsevier
Volume
47
Issue
85
Pages
36118 - 36128
Language
English
Type
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Abstract
Electrocatalytic water electrolysis is the most promising clean and efficient process for pure and clean generation of hydrogen. However, water oxidation reaction requires a large overpotential owing to its slow kinetics, causing a lower efficiency of hydrogen production and high energy consumption. Herein, we report the bimetallic NiCu interconnected porous nanostructures on copper foil (NiCu@Cu) prepared by hydrogen bubbles templating electrodeposition technique for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), which replaces the kinetically sluggish water oxidation reaction and enhances the hydrogen production with lower energy input. With their high macroporosity, interconnected growth on copper foil with excellent conductivity and easy flow of electrolyte on electrode interface, and stabilization of active sites due to bimetallic synergistic effects, the NiCu@Cu electrocatalysts exhibit outstanding activities for HER and MOR. The NiCu@Cu requiring just 1.32 V anodic potential vs RHE at 10 mA cm−2 for MOR which is significantly lower than that for water oxidation reaction. Moreover, the electrolyzer using NiCu@Cu/NiCu@Cu for anodic MOR and cathodic H2 production only needs a low input voltage of 1.45 V to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm−2 with impressive durability.
Keywords
Bubble templating electrodepositionEnergy-saving hydrogen production
Methanol-assisted hydrogen production
NiCu porous Interconnected network
Selective methanol oxidation reaction