Self-supporting and bifunctional Cu-based electrocatalysts with porous structures as superior working electrodes for alkaline water splitting

Abstract

The construction of efficient and bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting is necessary but still remains a tremendous challenge owing to their low surface area and sluggish reaction kinetics. Herein, we demonstrate an electrocatalyst with a rough and porous surface morphology, where copper sulfides and oxides could be grown directly on the copper wire (CW) via an in situ corrosion method. Benefitting from its unique lamellar structure and fast charge transfer kinetics, the as-fabricated electrocatalyst presented a low overpotential of 160 mV for the OER at 10 mA cm⁻² and overpotential of 230 mV for the HER at 100 mA cm⁻². Besides, this electrocatalyst as an electrode exhibited remarkable durability after 1000 cyclic voltammetry (CV) cycles. In short, this work presents a Cu-based electrocatalyst for efficient water splitting, which has seldom been reported to the best of our knowledge, for exploring high-activity non-noble metal catalysts.