Air-Stable Mn doped CuCl/CuO Hybrid Triquetrous Nanoarrays as Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Overall Water Splitting

The development of highly efficient non-precious metal catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is key for large-scale hydrogen evolution through water splitting technology. Here, we report an air-stable Cu-based nanostructure consisting of Mn doped CuCl and CuO (CuCl/CuO(Mn)-NF) as a dual functional electrocatalyst for water splitting. CuCl is identified as the main active component, together with Mn doping and the synergistic effect between CuCl and CuO are found to make responsibility for the excellent OER and HER catalytic activity and stability. The assembled electrolyzes also exhibit decent water splitting performance. This work not only provides a simple method for preparing Cu-based composite catalyst, but also demonstrates the great potential of Cu-based non-noble metal electrocatalysts for water splitting and other renewable energy conversion technologies.

Automated summary

This study reports an air-stable Cu-based nanostructure consisting of Mn doped CuCl and CuO as a dual functional electrocatalyst for water splitting. The excellent catalytic activity and stability are found to be attributed to the main active component CuCl, along with Mn doping and the synergistic effect between CuCl and CuO, demonstrating the great potential of Cu-based non-noble metal electrocatalysts in water splitting and other renewable energy conversion technologies.