Room temperature electrochemical synthesis of CuO flower-like microspheres and their electrooxidative activity towards hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

We describe a facile electrochemical route for the synthesis of CuO flower-like microspheres (CuO FMs) by anodic dissolution of bulk Cu in sodium hydroxide solution at room temperature and without heating. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction revealed that the CuO FMs are phase-pure monoclinic crystallites and comprised of CuO nanoflakes. The concentration of NaOH has a large effect on the size of the CuO FMs. The possible formation mechanism is discussed. The CuO FMs are electrocatalytically active towards the oxidation of H2O2, and this has resulted in a sensor for H2O2. To our knowledge, this is the simplest way to obtain clean CuO FMs.