Electrocatalytic Water Splitting Using Copper-Based Materials

Electrocatalytic water splitting utilises copper-based materials as cost-effective alternatives to precious metals for sustainable hydrogen production. Copper and its oxides (CuO, Cu₂O) are abundant, possess tunable electronic structures and intrinsic redox activity, and can be engineered into nanostructures, foams or composites to enhance surface area and conductivity. Research has advanced from simple oxide films to hierarchical architectures, metal–organic framework derivatives and heterometallic hybrids, addressing key challenges in activity, stability and selectivity. Optimisation of surface facets, defect engineering and plasmonic effects has yielded lower overpotentials and accelerated hydrogen and oxygen evolution kinetics. Integration of copper-based electrocatalysts into scalable electrolyser designs promises practical deployment in decentralised green hydrogen systems, accommodating intermittent renewable electricity inputs. Nevertheless, enduring issues such as corrosion resistance, active-site durability and mass transport remain focal points for ongoing innovation.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have explored a ternary hybrid electrocatalyst comprising amorphous molybdenum/cobalt oxides intimately interfaced with metallic copper on nickel foam. This architecture exhibits hierarchical three-dimensional porosity and abundant redox-active sites, affording low overpotentials (~188 mV for HER, ~410 mV for OER at 50 mA cm⁻²) and minimal overall cell voltage (≈1.86 V for 50 mA cm⁻²). Electrochemical impedance measurements indicate markedly diminished charge transfer resistance and enhanced interfacial conductivity, while durability tests demonstrate stable performance over extended operation.

Electrocatalytic Water Splitting Using Copper-Based Materials publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in electrocatalytic water splitting using copper-based materials across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Electrocatalytic water splitting: Electrochemical conversion of water into hydrogen and oxygen using a catalyst.

Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER): Cathodic half-reaction in water splitting producing H₂.

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER): Anodic half-reaction in water splitting producing O₂.

Overpotential: Additional potential beyond the thermodynamic requirement to drive an electrochemical reaction at a given rate.

Tafel slope: Parameter indicating the voltage dependence of current density, reflecting reaction kinetics.

Charge transfer resistance: Opposition to charge flow across the electrode–electrolyte interface, measured by impedance.

References

1. In‐Situ‐Grown Cu Dendrites Plasmonically Enhance Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution on Facet‐Engineered Cu2O. Advanced Materials (2023).
2. Novel mixed heterovalent (Mo/Co)Ox-zerovalent Cu system as bi-functional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting. Scientific Reports (2024).
3. Exploration of Bifunctionality in Mn, Co Codoped CuO Nanoflakes for Overall Water Splitting. International Journal of Energy Research (2023).