Low temperature growth of two-dimensional (2D) Cu/Cu2O nanosheets under ice/water mixing environment

Abstract

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is considered as the most promising route towards low-cost and scalable growth of 2D nanomaterials. Nevertheless, low melting point substrate is not suitable for the high growth temperature (more than 773 K) requirement of CVD route, which limits its wide applications in electronic and catalysis fields. Under ice/water mixing environment (273 K–278 K) we have developed a low temperature growth of 2D Cu/Cu 2 O nanosheets, which demonstrate excellent oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity (onset potential: 0.987 V, halfwave potential: 0.921 V) under 273 K–278 K low temperature. Experimental and first-principles calculated results demonstrated that oriented attachment of copper nanostructures played an important role for the low temperature growth of 2D copper nanosheets, and abundant active Cu 2 O stepped atoms on 2D copper nanosheets resulted in excellent low temperature ORR activity. The unique ice/water mixing environment will pave a new road for low temperature growth of high quality 2D nanomaterials.