Development of copper-nickel catalysts pioneers environmentally friendly and more efficient oxygen and hydrogen production from water electrolysis聽
Research at Khalifa University has led to the development of catalysts designed to improve the electrocatalytic performance of oxygen evolution reactions (OER) in water splitting. This advancement could potentially reduce the reliance on rare and expensive materials currently used in clean oxygen and hydrogen production technologies.
Suleiman Musa, Dr. Bilal Masood Pirzada, Shamraiz Hussain Talib, Dr. Dalaver Anjum, Dr. Mohammad Abu Haija, Dr. Sharmarke Mohamed and Dr. Ahsan Ul Haq Qurashi created copper-nickel dual atom catalysts supported on graphene. Their catalysts have demonstrated promising electrochemical properties crucial for efficiently splitting water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen during OER. The graphene base stabilizes the metallic atoms and enhances their activity by facilitating better electron mobility.
The team published their results in, a top 1% journal, with the work conducted at the Khalifa University Advanced Materials Chemistry Center.
Using advanced characterization techniques like X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, the team confirmed the successful dispersion of copper and nickel atoms across the graphene surface. Electrochemical tests revealed that the catalysts supported on reduced graphene oxide exhibited the lowest overpotential 颅颅鈥� a measure of energy efficiency in catalysis 鈥� and the highest current density at lower voltages compared to other samples. This indicates a superior catalytic performance and the synergistic effect of the copper-nickel combination, which lowers the energy barrier for oxygen production.
By lowering the cost and increasing the efficiency of oxygen production, these copper-nickel graphene catalysts could revolutionize industries that rely on high-purity oxygen, such as healthcare, aerospace, and environmental engineering. Further insights provided by density functional theory calculations helped in understanding the interaction between the copper and nickel atoms and the graphene support at an atomic level. These computational models validated the experimental results and offered a theoretical explanation for the observed increase in catalytic efficiency: The unique electronic interaction between the dual atoms facilitates a more efficient catalytic process compared to single atom setups.
As the world continues to seek ways to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and decrease carbon emissions, the implications for sustainable energy technologies are particularly profound, given the potential for these catalysts to facilitate more environmentally friendly approaches to oxygen and hydrogen production.
Jade Sterling
Science Writer
24 June 2024
