Copper Telluride Nanosheet/Cu Foil Electrode: Facile Ionic Liquid-Assisted Synthesis and Efficient Oxygen Evolution Performance

Abstract

Copper-based materials have been extensively developed as electrocatalysts for water oxidation due to their promising efficiency and large abundance. Among them, copper telluride could be a potential electrocatalyst but is rarely reported compared with other copper chalcogenides. In this work, rationally designed copper telluride nanosheet arrays on copper foil are fabricated via a facile ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazole chloride, [Bmim]­Cl) assisted hydrothermal process. The ionic liquid serves as the solvent and etching agent, promoting the progress of reaction and affecting the morphology of products and the corresponding oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. The resulting layer-structure electrocatalysts provide a larger specific surface area and more exposed surface atoms as well as a tight interface with good adhesion to the substrate, thereby accelerating charge transfer and mass diffusion. Based on the above-mentioned advantages, the copper telluride electrode exhibits favorable catalytic OER activity and long-term stability in alkaline media. This work not only expands the variety of OER electrocatalysts but also provides a practicable approach to developing active and stable non-noble materials toward electrochemical water-splitting systems.

Recent Advances in Transition Metal Tellurides (TMTs) and Phosphides (TMPs) for Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalysis

“…In addition, the binder-free adhesion of the electrocatalysts to the current collector can lead to excellent mass diffusion and charge transfer. In this regard, several TMT-related HER self-supported electrodes were recently reported, such as FeTe x NSs on Fe foam [ 125 ], CoTe 2 NPs on Co foam [ 126 ], NiTe 2 NWs on Ni foam [ 115 ], Cu 7 Te 4 arrays on Cu foil [ 127 ], an NiTe 2 NS array anchored on Ti mesh [ 110 ], and a CoTe 2 NW array on Ti mesh [ 113 ], which will not be systematically described in this review study. TMTs will ultimately be changed into the corresponding metal oxy-hydroxide, because the Te species of the surface tend to be soluble and are the actual catalytically active components, as mentioned previously [ 128 ] and confirmed by Yang and co-workers, who developed the CoTe nanoarrays on Ni foam [ 129 ].…”

Molecular Precursor-Driven Synthesis of Copper Telluride Nanostructures for LIB Anode Application

“…■ RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Synthesis and Spectroscopy. The ditelluride ligand, bis(5-methyl-2-pyridyl) ditelluride, {TeC 5 H 3 (Me-5)N} 2 (1) was synthesized by reacting 5-methyl-2-bromopyridine and isopropyl magnesium bromide in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran followed by the insertion of tellurium metal as described in literature. 22 CuCl was reacted with freshly synthesized sodium salt of 5-methyl-2-pyridyl telluride (by reducing {TeC 5 H 3 (Me-5)N} 2 with NaBH 4 ) in benzene-methanol mixture and then extracted with dichloromethane to give the tetra nuclear tellurolate complex, [Cu{TeC 5 H 3 (Me-5)N}] 4 (2) as greenish yellow crystalline solid, which is soluble in common organic solvents.…”

“…Slow evaporation of benzene solutions of the ligand 1 and the complex 2 yielded red and greenish yellow crystals of diffraction quality. The molecular structures of {TeC 5 H 3 (Me-5)N} 2 (1) and [Cu{TeC 5 H 3 (Me-5)N}] 4 (2) with atomic numbering scheme is shown in Figure 1. The crystallographic and structural determination data are given in Table 1, and the selected inter-atomic parameters are given in Tables 2 and 3.…”

“…Copper tellurides (Cu x E, where 1 < x < 2) with a direct band gap between 1.1 and 1.5 eV have drawn significant attention owing to their wide range of stoichiometries and phases making them flexible to tailor their properties for various applications, ranging from electrocatalyst for water splitting anode for lithium- (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries, solar cells, superionic conductors, photodetectors, and photothermal conversion . Furthermore, the electronic band structure of copper tellurides can be altered by adjusting the composition of these tellurides.…”

One-Step Rapid Conversion of Electroactive CoMnO Nanostructures Using a Deep Eutectic Solvent as the Template, Solvent, and Source

“…The distinctive highly correlated hydrogen-bonding networks and low volatility of ILs make them useful in synthesizing nanomaterials of different dimensions and morphological types with increased thermal and electrochemical stability . The common ILs like 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIM-PF 6 ), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis­(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)­imide ([BMIM]­[Tf 2 N]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([BMIM] + [Br] − ), and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazole chloride, ([Bmim]­Cl) are utilized in the synthesis of nanomaterials like bimetallic NiCoP/N, P-doped carbon composite, 1D MoO 2 nanotubes, 1D MoP, hexagonal MoO 3 nanorods, and Cu 2 Te 4 nanosheets, , which show notable electrochemical activity as a supercapacitor electrode and for hydrogen evolution reactions. However, the major drawbacks of common ILs are high toxicity, non-biodegradability, and the high cost of the starting precursors.…”