Nanosheet synthesis of mixed Co3O4/CuO via combustion method for methanol oxidation and carbon dioxide reduction

Abstract

This paper represents a study of mixed Co3O4/CuO nanosheet (NS) synthesis via solution combustion synthesis for oxidation of methanol and carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion. The mixed oxide NS of Co3O4/CuO is a hybrid structure of Co3O4 and CuO NSs. We applied this mixed oxide NS of Co3O4/CuO for methanol oxidation and carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion, and the results revealed that the activity of the mixed oxide NS surpassed the activity of the corresponding individual Co3O4 and CuO metal oxide NSs, both in methanol oxidation and in CO2 conversion. The mass activity of the mixed Co3O4/CuO NS produced at 0.627 V versus Ag/AgCl during methanol oxidation (0.5 M) was 12 mA g–1, which is 2.4 times better than that of Co3O4, whose mass activity is 5 mA g–1, and 4 times better than that of the CuO NS, whose mass activity is 3 mA g–1. The methanol oxidation peak at 0.62 V versus Ag/AgCl was also more intense than individual oxides. The trend in performance of methanol oxidation follows the order: Co3O4/CuO > Co3O4 > CuO. In the case of CO2 reduction, we experienced that our product was formate, and this was proved by formate oxidation (formate is formed as a product during the reduction of CO2) on the surface of the Pt ring of a rotating ring-disc electrode. Similar to methanol oxidation, Co3O4/CuO also showed superior activity in carbon dioxide reduction. It was experienced that at −1.5 V, the current density rises to −24 mA/cm2 for the Co3O4/CuO NS, that is, 0.6 times that of the CuO NS, which is −15 mA/cm2, and 3 times more than that of the Co3O4 NS, which is 8 mA/cm2. The trend in performance of CO2 reduction follows the order: Co3O4/CuO > CuO > Co3O4.