Copper Foam Research Articles

Electrodeposition of Nickel–Molybdenum–Phosphide on copper foam electrode for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction

In the quest for efficient and cost-effective catalysts to drive the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in electrochemical water splitting, copper foam (CuF) is a favorable candidate for electrode coating. Precious metal catalysts like Pt/C dominate the field but must be improved because of their high cost and scarcity. Therefore, we have synthesized and evaluated a sequence of nickel-originated electrocatalysts (Ni, NiMo, NiP, and NiMoP) with the electrodeposition of CuF to facilitate substantial improvements in HER performance. Herein, the Ni–Mo–P ternary system, owing to its desirable electronic structure and catalytic mechanism, contributes to enhancing the thermodynamics and kinetics of the HER. Performance analysis reveals that all studied catalysts follow the order of Ni/CuF > NiMo/CuF > NiP/CuF > NiMoP/CuF regarding both the Tafel slope and overpotential. Hence, the top performer, NiMoP/CuF, exhibits tremendous thermodynamics with an η10 = 159 mV and Tafel slope kinetics of 126.66 mV·dec⁻1 at 1.0 M KOH in water splitting. Overall, this report presents a well-capable way of optimizing the electrocatalytic function and stability of CuF-electro-coated catalysts for the HER. This research opens new avenues for cost-effective, stable, and efficient HER catalysts, showcasing the potential of NiMoP/CuF in advancing sustainable hydrogen production technologies.

Bio-inspired Cu2O cathode for O2 capturing and oxidation boosting in electro-Fenton for sulfathiazole decay

A hydrophobic Cu2O cathode (CuxO-L) was designed to solve the challenge of low oxidation ability in electro-Fenton (EF) for treating emerging pollutants. This fabrication process involved forming Cu(OH)2 nanorods by oxidizing copper foam (Cu-F) with (NH4)2S2O8, followed by coating them with glucose via hydrothermal treatment. Finally, a self-assembled monolayer of 1-octadecanethiol was introduced to create a low-surface-energy, functionalized CuxO-L cathode. Results exhibited an approximately 7.9-fold increase in hydroxyl radical (·OH) generation compared to the initial Cu-F. This enhancement was attributed to two key factors: (Ⅰ) the superior O2-capturing ability of CuxO-L cathode, which led to high H2O2 production due to a 2 nm thick hydrophobic gas layer facilitated O2-capturing; (Ⅱ) a relative high concentration of Cu+ at the CuxO-L cathode promoted the activation of H2O2 into·OH. In addition, the performance of EF with the CuxO-L cathode using sulfathiazole (STZ) as a model pollutant was evaluated. This study offers valuable insights into the design of O2-capturing cathodes in EF processes, particularly for treating emerging organic pollutants.

Application of Bifunctional Layered Double Hydroxide Electrocatalysts to Water Splitting

Water splitting is an area of research which is of pressing interest in addressing climate change. Water splitting provides oxygen and hydrogen as products, with hydrogen finding use as a potential high-density fuel to replace fossil fuels. Water splitting manifests as two half-cell reactions, namely the anodic oxygen evolution reaction and the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction. The purpose of this project is to synthesise a bifunctional electrocatalyst to use in the water splitting reaction, replacing the rare and expensive transition metals catalysts currently in use such as platinum and ruthenium. The ideal material would exhibit strong performance for both the oxygen evolution reaction and the hydrogen evolution reaction.In this project, Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHs) have been synthesised for use in water splitting. LDHs are a group of ionic compounds characterised by their layered structure of positively charged sheets and an interlayer region consisting of the corresponding anions. LDHs typically contain a bivalent and a trivalent metal as part of the generic formula [M2+ 1–xM3+ x(OH)2][An–]x/n·zH2O. In this project the bivalent metal in use is typically cobalt and the trivalent metal is typically iron. The synthesis developed is a simple, one pot hydrothermal synthesis which can be seen in Figure 1. In this synthesis, the process begins with the precursor materials dissolved in solution. These solutions are mixed and stirred until homogenous. The resultant solution is then heated to form an impure product. Following washing steps and centrifugation a purified powder product is obtained. A variety of metallic salts have been tested for their use in these LDHs with the optimum LDHs selected for further study. The metallic salts used to provide the metals for the LDHs are typically hydrated transition metal nitrates.The LDHs have been characterised and their structure confirmed by a variety of analytical techniques including X-Ray Diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Simple qualitative analysis has been performed with FTIR spectroscopy. These LDHs have been immobilised on a variety of porous, high surface area materials, including nickel foam and copper foam, to enhance the properties seen in the screening study. These materials allow synthesis of high surface area, reactive electrocatalysts. To enhance the stability of the LDHs, carbon materials have been integrated with the LDHs. Examination of a variety of carbon materials involved post-synthesis mixing of the carbon material and the LDH product or inclusion of the carbon material in the LDH synthesis to form a composite. A variety of carbon materials have been analysed including graphene oxide, carbon black and carbon nanotubes. Figure 1

(Invited) Intermetallics Based on Sodium Chalcogenides Promote Stable Electrodeposition – Electrodissolution of Sodium Metal Anodes

Sodiophilic micro-composite films of sodium-chalcogenide intermetallics (Na2Te and Na2S) and Cu particles are fabricated onto commercial copper foam current collectors (Na2Te@CF and Na2S@CF). For the first time a controllable capacity thermal infusion process is demonstrated. Enhanced wetting by the metal electrodeposition leads to state-of-the-art electrochemical performance. For example, Na2Te@CF-based half-cells demonstrate stable cycling at 6 mA cm-2 and 6 mAh cm-2, corresponding to 54 μm of Na electrodeposited/electrodissolved by geometric area. Sodium metal battery (SMB, NMB) cells with Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) cathodes are stable at 30C (7 mA cm-2) and for 10,000 cycles at 5C and 10C. Cross-sectional cryogenic focused ion beam (cryo-FIB) microscopy details deposited and remnant dissolved microstructures. Sodium metal deposited onto Na2Te@CF is dense, smooth, and free of dendrites or pores. On unmodified copper foam, sodium grows in a filament-like manner, not requiring cycling to achieve this geometry. Substrate-metal interaction critically affects the metal-electrolyte interface, namely the thickness and morphology of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Density functional theory (DFT) and mesoscale simulations provide insight into support-adatom energetics, nucleation response, and early-stage morphological evolution. On Na2Te sodium atomic dispersion is thermodynamically more stable than isolated clusters, leading to conformal adatom coverage of the surface.

Thermal Properties of Disodium Hydrogen Phosphate Dodecahydrate–Coated Metal Foam/Sodium Acetate Trihydrate Composite as Phase Change Material

Abstract Salt hydrates, like the sodium acetate trihydrate (SAT), possess a remarkable ability to store copious amounts of thermal energy, thanks to their ingenious utilization of a high latent heat of fusion. This unique property makes them a compelling choice for various energy storage applications. In this study, aluminum and copper foams with pore sizes of 40, 80, and 110 pores per inch (PPI) coated with disodium hydrogen phosphate dodecahydrate were prepared, and their effects on the SAT solidification temperature, latent heat of fusion, and thermal conductivity were investigated. The samples' thermal conductivity was measured using the guarded heat flow method. Thermal properties, including latent heat of fusion and supercooling were measured using the T-History method. The results showed that the metal foam matrix is an effective method of enhancing the thermal conductivity of SAT while occupying a small volume of the composite. The copper foam with a PPI of 80 was able to increase the effective thermal conductivity to 2.62 W/(m⋅K), an increase of 388.15% compared to pure SAT while occupying approximately 6.5% of the composite volume. The T-History results showed a solidification temperature of 57.52 °C along with a super cooling of 3.28 °C for the same sample set. Furthermore, it was also found that copper samples significantly outperformed the aluminum ones, despite the higher porosity.

Electrodeposition of FeNiCoCrMn high-entropy alloys on copper foam for enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction——influence of additives and deposition potential

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have been paid attention for their exceptional material properties. FeNiCoCrMn HEAs electrocatalysts were synthesized on copper foam by electrodeposition. The effects of deposition potential and additives on the surface morphology and crystal structure of the catalysts were investigated, and their hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance in 1.0 M KOH solution was studied. The high deposition potential enhanced nucleation, leading to intricate structural formations, while CTAB and citrate additives notably altered the surface texture of the catalysts, affecting HER activity. Notably, Fe0.19Ni0.24Co0.29Cr0.18Mn0.1 electrocatalyst with a low Tafel slope of 84.7 mV dec−1 showed good HER activity, only required the overpotential of 191 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2.

Morphology of Copper Nanofoams for Radiation Hydrodynamics and Fusion Applications Investigated by 3D Ptychotomography.

The performance of metal and polymer foams used in inertial confinement fusion (ICF), inertial fusion energy (IFE), and high-energy-density (HED) experiments is currently limited by our understanding of their nanostructure and its variation in bulk material. We utilized an X-ray-free electron laser (XFEL) together with lensless X-ray imaging techniques to probe the 3D morphology of copper foams at nanoscale resolution (28 nm). The observed morphology of the thin shells is more varied than expected from previous characterizations, with a large number of them distorted, merged, or open, and a targeted mass density 14% less than calculated. This nanoscale information can be used to directly inform and improve foam modeling and fabrication methods to create a tailored material response for HED experiments.

In situ fabrication of Cu2O array electrode for efficient detection of acetaminophen

In this paper, Cu(OH)2 nanosheet arrays were directly grown in an upright manner on the surface of copper foam (CF) through a simple solvent reaction, followed by the successful reduction of Cu(OH)2 into Cu2O using hydrazine hydrate vapor, resulting in a binder-free Cu2O@CF array electrode. The in situ growth technique guarantees robust bonding between Cu2O and the conductive substrate, thereby enhancing electron transfer among various electrode components. Additionally, the vertically aligned array structures facilitate rapid penetration and transfer of the analyte, while also allowing for thorough exposure of the electroactive surfaces to the electrolyte. When utilized as an adhesive-free biosensor, the obtained Cu2O@CF array electrode exhibited sensitive catalytic oxidation activity toward acetaminophen (AP), providing a wide linear range of 2–200 [Formula: see text]M and a low detection limit of 0.6 [Formula: see text]M for AP detection. Furthermore, the developed Cu2O@CF array electrode was successfully utilized to detect AP in medicine samples. With its simple fabrication method, broad linear range, low detection limit, and excellent stability, this electrode holds significant promise for the detection of AP in pharmaceuticals.

Introducing Fe into Cu-based catalyst to boost the electrocatalytic hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

Converting biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into high-valued 2,5-bis (hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) via electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) technology has been widely regarded as one of the most economical and eco-friendly routes. The high selectivity and activity depend on the reasonable regulation of the adsorption and activation of adsorbed hydrogen (H*) and HMF on the surface of the electrocatalyst. Herein, we report nanoflower-like CuFe-based electrocatalysts on copper foam (CF) substrates (CuFeOx/CF). BHMF was achieved on the optimal CuFeOx/CF with a selectivity of 93.3% and a yield of 90.1%. The H*, HMF and product were observed by in situ attuned total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Moreover, in situ Raman spectra discloses the reconstruction of catalyst into CuFe-bimetal with low valence state. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that introducing Fe plays a role in regulating the electronic structure of Cu sites, which facilitate the generation of H* and adsorption of HMF, thus hampering the occurrence of dimerization. This study provides an innovative idea for the rational design of non-precious bimetallic electrocatalysts for ECH to produce high-valued chemicals.

Facile fabrication of superhydrophilic copper foam for rapid and efficient filtration of cationic dyes from water

Rapid and efficient separation of dyes from water is a formidable challenge due to the trade-off between separation selectivity and permeability. Here, a novel superhydrophilic copper foam (CF) enabling the rapid and efficient filtration of cationic dyes from water is reported. The fabrication involves brushing a coating consisting of attapulgite (APT), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), TiO2 and glutaraldehyde (GA) onto copper foam and then heating. The obtained copper foam (CF-PVA/GA@APT/TiO2) is superhydrophilic and negatively charged with dye adsorption capability. The interconnected cage-shaped porous structure endows the foam with long tortuous permeation channels and large pore size. It is able to separate various cationic dyes with a separation efficiency reaching to 99.93 % and a permeation flux up to 1671 ± 189 L m-2h−1 under gravity. Furthermore, the CF-PVA/GA@APT/TiO2 can realize the selective separation and recovery of various cationic dyes from rhodamine B (RhB)-mixed dye solutions. Molecular dynamics-based computational modeling and experimental studies revealed that the interaction energy between the surface of CF-PVA/GA@APT/TiO2 and methylene blue (MB) is much stronger than that of the former and RhB, leading to adsorption of MB in the permeation channel, while RhB gradually migrates through the permeation channel and passes through the channel with water. The tortuous permeation channels of CF-PVA/GA@APT/TiO2 increase the contact area and absorption opportunities for cationic dye molecules on the surface, and its large pore size maintains the filtration flux. These properties provide the as-prepared foam with excellent potential applicability for industrial dye wastewater treatment.

Continuous and steady-state high-flux demulsification of oil-in-water emulsions by antifouling copper foam with composite superhydrophilicity-oleophobicity

Three-dimensional superhydrophilic materials hardly achieve continuous high-flux demulsification and separation for oil-in-water emulsions due to intrinsic oleophilicity leading to potential penetration of oil droplets through hydration layer and contamination on the surface over long-term separation processes. Constructing intrinsic oleophobic micro-regions on superhydrophilic surface can intensify anti-oil-fouling capacity for three-dimensional superhydrophilic materials. Herein, a composite superhydrophilic-oleophobic copper foam was prepared through co-deposition of aminated and fluorinated carbon nanotubes, skillfully introducing inherent oleophobic micro-regions on superhydrophilic interface to intensify anti-oil-adhesion capacity. Through a column technique, the modified copper foams achieved continuous demulsification of surfactant-stabilized and free oil-in-water emulsions without interruption for cleaning with high fluxes over 6000 and 10,000 L·m−2·h−1, and separation efficiencies over 95.1 % and 97.4 %, respectively. Various emulsions after demulsification transformed into immiscible oil–water mixtures, which can be quickly separated into pure oil and water at the aid of a second-step separation procedure by a superhydrophilic copper mesh. Importantly, the amount of recycled oil was consistent with that in feed emulsion during separation, indicating the accumulated oil in the copper foam could maintain dynamic equilibrium and a continuous and steady-state demulsification was achieved. The high-flux and continuous demulsification represents a significant breakthrough for superhydrophilic materials in the industrial application of oil–water separation.

Influence of the foam-fin structure on the thermal performance of a coupled phase change liquid cooling module

Effective thermal management is key to ensuring the reliable operation of high power electronic equipment. In this study, the strategy of phase transition and liquid cooling coupling applied to transient high power electronic equipment has been examined. In order to improve the performance of the phase changing material (PCM) in temperature control, the effects of the coupling structure have been addressed with a consideration of fin, copper foam (CF), graphite foam (GF), fin-copper foam (FCF) and fin-graphite foam (FGF) structures in heat dissipation. In this study, pure paraffin wax (PPW) was used as phase change material to prepare heat sinks based on the above five structures. The experimental study investigates the impact of different thermal conductivity strategies on temperature control characteristics, with a focus on cold capacity recovery and the combined phase change and liquid cooling, using pure paraffin wax module as a reference. The results have revealed that the fin-foam coupling structure delivers a better PCM performance than the single fin or foam structure. Operating at a heating power of 10 W, 15 W and 20 W, the temperature control time of the FGF structure was increased by 13.6 %∼14.6 % relative to the GF structure. At 15 °C with flow rates of 1 L/min, 1.5 L/min, 2 L/min liquid cooling conditions, the cooling capacity recovery time was reduced by 18.8 %, 17.2 %, 19.7 %, respectively. In the phase-change liquid-cooling coupling temperature control experiment, the final temperature increase in the FGF system was 11.7 °C -15.2 °C lower than that of the GF system under the same water temperature and volume flow for a 50 W heat source. The incorporation of fins also enhanced the thermal conductivity strengthening capability of the copper foam and reduced the cold recovery time. Based on the comprehensive evaluation, the FGF structure demonstrates superior temperature control performance and cold recovery characteristics of PCM, making it an optimal strengthening method. Following closely are the FCF, GF, Fin and CF structures. Compared to pure paraffin modules, these five modules exhibit varying degrees of improvement in temperature control and cold capacity recovery efficiency. This study provides guidance for optimizing heat sink design based on PCM in electronic applications.

Nitrate reduction catalyzed by bimetallic silver‐copper macroporous foams

IIn this work we describe the use of bimetallic silver‐copper macroporous foams for electrochemical nitrate reduction in acidic conditions (pH 2, 0.1 M NaClO4). By carefully selecting the composition of the electrodeposition bath, we have successfully prepared foams with atomic percentage varying from Ag dominant to Cu dominant. Also, we have succeeded to obtain morphologies that vary between the one specific to pure Ag foam to the one specific to pure Cu foam. We have shown that these foams contain a pure silver phase and also a silver‐copper alloy. The electrochemical active surface area of the foams depends both on the morphology as well as on the atomic composition. These materials were used for the first time as catalysts for nitrate electrochemical reaction (NO3RR). Both liquid and gaseous products were quantified with several analytical techniques. It was shown that bimetallic foams present superior faradaic efficiency (FE) towards liquid products in comparisons with pure silver and copper foams, suggesting a synergetic contribution from both metals. The Ag94Cu6 (AgCu10) foam shows a FE as high as 92% towards liquid products and the lowest FE (3%) towards the undesired product, nitrous acid. Also, this material shows a better stability than pure copper materials.

Study on the flow and heat transfer characteristics inside high-porosity open-cell copper foams: Experimental and numerical explorations

A metal foam with an open-cell structure is a type of material with low flow resistance, high specific surface area, and strong fluid mixing ability. Open-cell metal foams have broad application prospects in electronic component cooling, multiphase heat exchangers, and compact heat exchangers for aerospace applications. This paper presented experimental and numerical analyses of the flow and heat transfer characteristics of five different copper foams under forced air convection. The pores per inch (PPI) of selected foams were 10, 20, 30, 40, and 60, with porosities ranging from 0.968 to 0.973. Analysis of the collected heat transfer and pressure drop data yielded the overall heat transfer coefficient, unit pressure drop, normalized average wall temperature, inertia coefficient, and resistance coefficient. The influence mechanisms of the porosity and flow velocity on heat transfer were analyzed and discussed. The numerical simulation and experiment fitted well. The results showed that increasing porosity led to a significant increase in heat transfer coefficient and unit pressure drop. The 60 PPI foam brought the maximum pressure drop while achieved the minimum thermal resistance.

Constructing Sn-Cu2O Lithiophilicity Nanowires as Stable and High-Performance Lithium Metal Anodes.

Lithium (Li) metal batteries (LMBs) have garnered significant research attention due to their high energy density. However, uncontrolled Li dendrite growth and the continuous accumulation of "dead Li" directly lead to poor electrochemical performance in LMBs, along with serious safety hazards. These issues have severely hindered their commercialization. In this study, a lithiophilic layer of Sn-Cu2O is constructed on the surface of copper foam (CF) grown with Cu nanowire arrays (SCCF) through a combination of electrodeposition and plasma reduction. Sn-Cu2O, with excellent lithiophilicity, reduces the Li nucleation barrier and promotes uniform Li deposition. Simultaneously, the high surface area of the nanowires reduces the local current density, further suppressing the Li dendrite growth. Therefore, at 1 mA cm-2, the half cells and symmetric cells achieve high Coulombic efficiency (CE) and stable operation for over 410 cycles and run smoothly for more than 1350 h. The full cells using an LFP cathode demonstrate a capacity retention rate of 90.6% after 1000 cycles at 5 C, with a CE as high as 99.79%, suggesting excellent prospects for rapid charging and discharging and long-term cyclability. This study provides a strategy for modifying three-dimensional current collectors for Li metal anodes, offering insights into the construction of stable, safe, and fast-charging LMBs.

Superspreading Surface with Hierarchical Porous Structure for Highly Efficient Vapor-Liquid Phase Change Heat Dissipation.

Superspreading surfaces with excellent water transport efficiency are highly desirable for addressing thermal failures through the liquid-vapor phase change of water in electronics thermal management applications. However, the trade-off between capillary pressure and viscous resistance in traditional superspreading surfaces with micro/ nanostructures poses a longstanding challenge in the development of superspreading surfaces with high cooling efficiency in confined spaces. Herein, a heat-treated hierarchical porous enhanced superspreading surface (HTHP) for highly efficient electronic cooling is proposed. Compared with the single porous structures in nanograss, nanosheets, and copper foam, HTHP with hierarchical honeycomb pores effectively resolves the trade-off effect by introducing large vertical through-pores to reduce viscous resistance, and connected small pores to provide sufficient capillary pressure synergistically. HTHP exhibits excellent capillary performance in both horizontal spreading and vertical rising. Despite a thickness of only 0.33mm, the as-prepared ultrathin vapor chamber (UTVC) fabricated to exploit the superior capillary performance of HTHP achieved effective heat dissipation with outstanding thermal conductivity (12121 Wm-1K-1), and low thermal resistance (0.1 KW-1) at a power of 5W. This regulation strategy based on hierarchical honeycomb porous structures is expected to promote the development of high-performance superspreading surfaces with a wide range of applications in thermal management.

A facile superlithiophilic 3D host with a transition metal oxide heterostructure for ultrastable zero-volume-expansion lithium metal anodes

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are widely recognized as the candidate for next-generation energy devices due to their unprecedented capacity and low electrochemical potential. Nonetheless, their practical implementation has been hindered by the dendrite formation and unstable solid electrolyte interface (SEI). In this study, we introduce a novel approach involving the in-situ growth of a ZnO–CuO heterostructure within a crack shield construction on a three-dimensional (3D) copper foam host. Computational COMSOL simulations reveal remarkable improvements in homogenizing lithium ion flux subsequent to decoration. Through galvanostatic measurements, the Li@ZnO-CuO-CF electrode exhibits an exceptionally low 0.2 V hysteresis, no volume expansion and uniform lithium deposition in symmetry cells under a 50 mA cm−2 current density. Furthermore, the electrode retains 95.4 % initial capacity after 600 cycles at 0.5C and 85.5 % initial capacity after 220 cycles at 1 C when coupled with a LiFePO₄ (LFP) cathode. This work sheds light on the facile fabrication of practical Li metal anodes for high-energy-density LMBs.

Brazing of Copper Foam Using Cu-4.0Sn-9.9Ni-7.8P Filler Foil: Effect of Brazing Temperature and Copper Foam Pore Density

Copper (Cu) foam is a promising material that owns a high surface area that can be utilized in a thermal application. In this research, the brazing of Cu substrate to Cu foam in the sandwich configuration using Cu alloy filler foil was carried out. The foam at different pore per inch (PPI) of 15, 25 and 50 are brazed at different brazing temperatures. Mechanical and microstructure analysis were conducted to investigate a suitable brazing temperature and the best pore density of foam. The compressive strength of brazed 50 PPI foam has yielded the highest due to the highly dense interconnected branches. While the highest shear strength of brazed interface using 15 PPI foam has been recorded. The large branch size of 15 PPI foam has contributed to the sound joint between the brazed joint interface of Cu substrate and foam. Both mechanicals analysis above exhibits a highest strength at 660 °C as a brazing temperature The shear stress-strain curve of Cu substrate and foam brazed joint interface shows a brittle behaviour which accordance with the discoverable brittle phases of Cu3P and Ni3P using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) have presented the formation of Cu3P and Ni3P at the brazed joint interface of Cu substrate and foam.

Electrodeposition in one step: Synthesizing Ir–Co tetradecahedral nanoparticles with high-index (311) crystal planes for enhanced catalytic activity in alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction

Electrochemical water splitting represents a viable route for hydrogen production, but its efficiency critically depends on developing effective electrocatalysts that minimize energy loss and material costs. This study introduces iridium-cobalt (Ir–Co) nanoparticles were synthesized on copper foam (CF) substrates using a one-step electrodeposition method. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on the morphology, chemical composition, and crystal structure of the electrocatalysts, along with a particular study on their electrocatalytic performance in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The results demonstrate that high-index IrCo (311) crystal planes have been detected in the Ir–Co/CF electrocatalysts, which possess a tetradecahedral polycrystalline structure. The size of tetradecahedral nanoparticles is in the range of 180–250 nm. Ir–Co nanoparticles exhibit a balanced composition of approximately 49.8 at% Ir and 50.2 at% Co. The Ir–Co/CF electrocatalyst exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity in 1.0 M KOH solution, requiring only 46.8 mV overpotential to obtain a current density of 10 mA cm−2, with a low Tafel slope of 32.65 mV·dec−1. Additionally, the prolonged stability tests confirm the robustness of the Ir–Co/CF electrocatalyst, highlighting its potential for sustainable energy applications.

Rapidly Prepared Lithophilic Frameworks Stabilizes Lithium Anodes via Altered Lithium Deposition Patterns.

Lithium metal batteries are regarded as promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems. However, their anodes are susceptible to interfacial instability due to significant volume changes, which significantly impacts the cycle life of lithium metal batteries. Here, a rapid method for the fabrication of 3D-hosts with interface modified layers is reported. A simple infiltration and heating process enables the transformation of copper foam into Zn-BDC-modified copper foam within 1 min, rendering it suitable for use as a current collector for lithium metal anodes. The Zn-BDC nanosheets with high lithiophilicity are uniformly distributed on the surface of the current collector, facilitating the uniform deposition of lithium and reducing the volume change. Consequently, the half cell exhibits a remarkably low overpotential (26mV) at a current-density of 4mA cm-2 and is cycled stably for 1000h. Furthermore, it demonstrates a significant enhancement in performance in the LiFePO4 full cell. This study provides a crucial reference on the connection between the interfacial modification of the current collector and the lithium deposition behavior, which promotes the practicalization of lithium metal anodes.