Issue 24, 2021

Hierarchical three-dimensional copper selenide nanocube microelectrodes for improved carbon dioxide reduction reactions

Abstract

The design of high-performance and earth-abundant electrocatalysts for electrochemical carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction reactions (CO2RRs) to form fuels and value-added chemicals offers an emergent solution for environmental and sustainable energy issues. Herein, we report a facile and one-step electrochemical fabrication of a series of hierarchical three-dimensional (3-D) copper selenide nanocubes (CuSe NCs) assembled as domain nanocube-, branched nanocube-, and dendrite nanocube-like surface morphologies on copper microelectrodes (CuMEs). Our results reveal that the peculiar morphology-controllable CuSe NCs are grown on a Cu microelectrode surface due to the preferential diffusion of Cu and Se ions and deposition as CuSe heterostructures. The as-developed CuSe NCs are employed as potential electrocatalysts for electrochemical CO2RRs in both 1.0 M KHCO3 and 0.1 M 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluoro-phosphate ([Bmim]PF6) in acetonitrile (MeCN) electrolytes. The as-developed CuSe NCs-B|CuMEs exhibited a less negative onset potential (∼0.5 V (RHE) in 1.0 M KHCO3 and ∼1.1 V (Ag/AgCl) in 0.1 M [Bmim]PF6/MeCN) and high cathodic current density (∼120.3 mA cm−2 @ −1.3 V (RHE) in 1.0 M KHCO3 and ∼23.4 mA cm−2 @ 2.0 V (Ag/AgCl) in 0.1 M [Bmim]PF6/MeCN). The CuSe NCs-B|CuMEs showed a low cathodic potential of ∼0.65 V vs. RHE (1.0 M KHCO3) and ∼1.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl (0.1 M [Bmim]PF6/MeCN) to attain ∼10 mA cm−2, small polarization resistance, high mass activity, and long-term durability. The attained high electrocatalytic performance of the CuSe NC-based Cu microelectrodes is due to high crystallinity, hierarchical 3-D nanocube-like morphology, a large volume of electrochemical active sites, low polarization resistance, and integrated intrinsic catalytic activity.

Graphical abstract: Hierarchical three-dimensional copper selenide nanocube microelectrodes for improved carbon dioxide reduction reactions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Sep 2021
Accepted
26 Oct 2021
First published
26 Oct 2021

Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2021,5, 6430-6440

Hierarchical three-dimensional copper selenide nanocube microelectrodes for improved carbon dioxide reduction reactions

R. Elakkiya and G. Maduraiveeran, Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2021, 5, 6430 DOI: 10.1039/D1SE01458G

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