CuZr Metal Glass Powder as Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution Reactions

Abstract

For the practical application of water electrolysis, it is essential to develop cost-effective and high efficiency electrocatalysts for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evaluation reaction (OER). In this work, we applied CuZr metallic glass powder, after chemical dealloying treatment, as electrocatalysts. The as-prepared sample had both the increased specific area and optimized surface composition of an efficient catalyst. During the HER and OER processes, the dealloyed CuZr sample displayed overpotential of 195 mV and 310 mV at current density of 10 mA cm−2, respectively. A two-electrode water splitting cell, using the as-prepared CuZr sample, exhibited high stability towards a high current density of 500 mA cm−2, and lower overpotential, compared to a Pt/C//IrO2 cell, during the 10 mA cm−2 constant current density aging test.