Preparation of Flower-like Copper Foam Supported Co₃O₄ Electrocatalyst and Its Hydrogen Evolution Performance

Abstract

Flower-like copper foam Co₃O₄ catalysts (Co₃O₄/CF) were prepared by hydrothermal method. The crystalline structure and microscopic morphology of the prepared samples were characterized by using X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the electrochemical properties were investigated by an electrochemical workstation. The experimental results show that the Co₃O₄ catalysts are successfully prepared on the foamed copper support by hydrothermal method, and the material’s morphology is mainly flower cluster. When the current density is 10 mA·cm⁻², the overpotential value of the Co₃O₄/CF catalyst is 141 mV, lower than that of blank support. The electrochemical impedance (EIS) spectrum shows that the R _ct value of the Co₃O₄/CF catalyst decreases, and the Coulomb curves of double-layer show that the electrochemically active area of the Co₃O₄/CF catalyst efficiently increases compared with that of the blank support. Therefore, the as-obtained Co₃O₄/CF catalyst exhibits a good hydrogen evolution rate, showing great applicability potential in the catalytic electrolysis of water for hydrogen production.

Keywords

Co₃O₄/CF / composite structure / electrocatalysis / hydrogen evolution reaction

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