Stability Of Cu Research Articles

Dependence of copper(I) stability on long-range electromagnetic effects of Au under reducing atmospheres: the size effect of Au cores.

It has been widely recognized that adjusting the size of Au particles has emerged as a significant approach in catalyst design, catalyst screening, and comprehension of reaction mechanisms. However, the essential factors of Au nanoparticles used only as an additive to enhance the activity of traditional multicomponent thermocatalysts have not been fully revealed. In this study, a series of Au@Cu2O core-shell nanocatalysts were synthesized through a controllable method, featuring core sizes ranging from 11 to 33 nm and an average shell thickness of approximately 55 nm. It was revealed that the size effect of Au cores plays a very vital role in the stability of the active Cu+ species under reducing atmospheres (H2, acetylene and formaldehyde) as well as the catalytic performance of the catalysts in the ethynylation of formaldehyde. The experimental findings revealed that Au@Cu2O core-shell catalysts with Au core sizes ranging from 11 to 16 nm exhibited a higher abundance of electron-deficient Cu+ species in the shell, which is attributed to the strong long-range electromagnetic effects of the Au core in the absence of photoexcitation or an applied electric field. Additionally, the active Cu+ species demonstrated remarkable stability under reducing atmospheres. Although the stability of Cu+ decreased slightly when the Au core size exceeded 16 nm, the Cu+ content remained above 80%. Notably, the Au@Cu2O catalysts with Au core sizes ranging from 11 to 16 nm exhibited excellent catalytic activity in the ethynylation of formaldehyde.

Mechanism for Cu-enhanced hydrothermal stability of Cu–CHA for NH3-SCR

The presence of Cu delays dealumination of CHA zeolites when exposed to water at high temperatures.

Stabilization of Cu+ sites by amorphous Al2O3 to enhance electrochemical CO2 reduction to C2+ products

The stabilized amorphous Al2O3 phase stabilizes the Cu+ site through oxidation state control, thereby improving the selectivity and activity for the production of the C2+ product.

Microbial Electrosynthesis Using 3D Bioprinting of Sporomusa ovata on Copper, Stainless-Steel, and Titanium Cathodes for CO2 Reduction

Acetate can be produced from carbon dioxide (CO2) and electricity using bacteria at the cathode of microbial electrosynthesis (MES). This process relies on electrolytically-produced hydrogen (H2). However, the low solubility of H2 can limit the process. Using metal cathodes to generate H2 at a high rate can improve MES. Immobilizing bacteria on the metal cathode can further proliferate the H2 availability to the bacteria. In this study, we investigated the performances of 3D bioprinting of Sporomusa ovata on three metal meshes—copper (Cu), stainless steel (SS), and titanium (Ti), when used individually as a cathode in MES. Bacterial cells were immobilized on the metal using a 3D bioprinter with alginate hydrogel ink. The bioprinted Ti mesh exhibited higher acetate production (53 ± 19 g/m2/d) at −0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl as compared to other metal cathodes. More than 9 g/L of acetate was achieved with bioprinted Ti, and the least amount was obtained with bioprinted Cu. Although all three metals are known for catalyzing H2 evolution, the lower biocompatibility and chemical stability of Cu hampered its performance. Stable and biocompatible Ti supported the bioprinted S. ovata effectively. Bioprinting of synthetic biofilm on H2-evolving metal cathodes can provide high-performing and robust biocathodes for further application of MES.

Density functional theory study of the adsorption of NO on CunX (n = 2–8; X = Cu, K) clusters

AbstractDensity functional theory calculations are performed to analyze the structure and stability of Cu and Cu‐K clusters with 3 to 9 atoms. The results indicate that the stability of the clusters decreases after doping with a K atom. With the increase of cluster size, the stability of the clusters shows odd‐even alternation. Cu8 and Cu7K clusters exhibit the highest stability. Next, different adsorption sites are considered to investigate the geometry of CunNO and Cun−1KNO clusters. By calculating the adsorption energy and the HOMO‐LUMO energy gap, it is determined that both types of reactions are exothermic processes, indicating stable adsorption of NO. Notably, the CunK clusters are more active (stronger adsorption) for NO than the Cun clusters. The most chemically active clusters among CunNO and Cun−1KNO clusters are Cu8NO and Cu7KNO clusters. Finally, electron transfer and Mayer bond order analysis of Cu8NO and Cu7KNO clusters reveal that the NO bond order decreases due to electron transfer when Cu/Cu‐K clusters adsorb NO. In this process, the N atom is the electron donor and the Cu atom is the electron acceptor. Fundamental insights obtained in this study can be useful in the design of Cu/Cu‐K catalysts.

Unravelling stability of current collectors in lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide salt and polyethylene oxide electrolyte for solid-state lithium batteries

Recent interest in solid-state lithium batteries prevails in the battery community because of their superiority in terms of safety concerns. Many works have been reported for electrodes and electrolytes and their suitability for solid-state polymer electrolytes to adopt in lithium batteries. Herein, for the first time, we report on the electrochemical stabilities of Cu and Al current collectors in a polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based solid-state electrolyte containing lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) salt. Our work on the electrochemical dynamic- and transient-mode polarization of these electrodes indicates that Cu metal undergoes Cu–O passivation below 3 V. The adhered Cu-F layer on the CuO passive layer may be beneficial to delay undesired reaction such as corrosion. And it is further confirmed that Al metal passivates stably even up to 5 V; namely, the Al surface forms double layers of the outer Al–F and inner Al–O layers. These F- and O-based layers are attributed to the combination of the Al and O from the reductively decomposed PEO and further progress of Al2O3 and HF (H+ + F− →HF), decomposed from the PEO (H+) and TFSI− (F−). Therefore, we verify that successful passivation on Cu and Al metal surfaces facilitates their suitability as current collectors for solid-state polymer lithium batteries.

Effect of silica on generation and stability of Cu+ cations in CuO/CeO2 catalysts for CO oxidation in H2-rich atmosphere

Developing efficient CuO/CeO2 catalysts for CO preferential oxidation in H2-rich atmosphere (CO PROX) is essential for removing residual CO in the reformate gas. However, achieving robust performance in a wide working temperature window is still a great challenge. Herein, SiO2 was introduced to modify the CuO/CeO2 catalysts and the best catalyst exhibited 100 % of CO conversion and >50 % of CO2 selectivity from 120 to 220 °C over CO PROX reaction. Combined characterization techniques demonstrate the enhanced interaction between copper species and CeO2 support after deposition of SiO2, promoting the generation of active Cu+ sites as well as the reactivity of lattice oxygen in CeO2 for CO conversion. Besides, in presence of SiO2, the main intermediates changed from carbonates to formate species. More importantly, the active Cu+ sites were stabilized by SiO2 due to formation of Cu+-O-SiOx interface, retarding the competitive H2 oxidation at high temperatures.

Ce and Cu co-doped LiMn2O4 cathode material: Synthesis, characterization and electrochemical performances

In this study, a rare earth (Ce) and a conventional transition metal (Cu) are doped to investigate the improvement in the electrochemical nature of LiMn2O4 (LiMn2-x-yCexCuyO4 (0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.05 and y = x)) using the sol-gel method assisted by citric acid as the chelating element. The physiochemical properties of co-doped cathode material are evaluated and analyzed using XRD, TG/DTA, SEM, TEM with EDS, FT-IR and Raman spectra. By increasing the concentration of the dopants, the Mn oxidation states increased, which indicated the embedding of the dopants into the structure of the cathode compound and also restricted the Jahn-Teller effect. The cubic spinel structure with space group Fd3‾m was revealed by the structural investigation, and the average grain size ranged from 0.36 to 0.59 μm. The TEM patterns confirm that there is no aggregation in the compound's structure. The high conductivity and stability of Cu contribute effectively to its benefits in decreasing capacity fade. LiMn2-x-yCexCuyO4 was enriched with dual doping in order to enhance the stability of structure of the cathode material. Finally, the charge/discharge curves of the electrochemical cells of LiMn1.94Ce0.03Cu0.03O4 were performed and the discharge and retension capacity of the synthesized LiMn1.94Ce0.03Cu0.03O4 samples are 89.70 mAh.g−1 (1st cycle), 77.4 mAh.g−1 (2nd cycle) and 86.28 %, which are better than the LMO.

Emission of nitrogen/sulfur pollutants and migration of heavy metals during combustion of oily sludge from the oil refining process in fluidized bed

Oily sludge is a kind of hazardous waste due to the enrichment of nitrogen, sulfur, and heavy metals. In this work, the combustion of oily sludge from an oil refining factory in a fluidized bed reactor at 850–1050 °C and 0.8–1.2 excess air ratios were studied, with a focus on emission of nitrogen and sulfur pollutants and migration of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb. The emission characteristics of nitrogen and sulfur pollutants were exhibited through monitoring the flue gas. The migration characteristics of heavy metals were clarified by analyzing their retention in bottom and fly ash. Moreover, the BCR (European Community Bureau of Reference) sequential extraction of the heavy metals in bottom ash was also carried out to obtain the migration of heavy metals in different forms. The contents of NOx and SO2 in the flue gas increased with temperature and excess air ratio increasing. High temperature led to less heavy metal retention in the bottom ash. The strong oxidizing atmosphere can weaken the volatilization of heavy metals. The stabilities of the heavy metal in different forms were in the following order: F4 (residual fraction) > F3 (oxidizable fraction) > F2 (reducible fraction) > F1 (exchangeable and acid soluble fraction). F4 was the dominant fraction of heavy metals in the bottom ash. The >60 % content of F3 and F4 led to the high stability of Cu and Ni while the >57 % content of F1 and F2 led to the high volatility of Cd and Pb in bottom ash. The differences in the component map of F1-F4 for the six heavy metals gave rise to their different migration characteristics during combustion.

Epoxy resin for solidification/stabilization of soil contaminated with copper (II): Leaching, mechanical, and microstructural characterization

Among different types of heavy metal-contaminated soil, copper (Cu)-contaminated soil is very serious, and the Cu concentration in it is usually very high. It is common to solidify/stabilize Cu-contaminated soil using alkaline cementitious material. However, the remediated Cu-contaminated soil fails to meet the requirements of environmental safety and load-bearing capacity. This dilemma in the remediation of Cu-contaminated soil hinders the effective utilization of land resources. In this study, epoxy resin (EP) was utilized to solidify/stabilize Cu-contaminated soil due to its stable and rapid curing performance and excellent resistance to acid, alkali, and salt erosion. The mechanical properties, environmental effects, and curing mechanism of EP-cured Cu-contaminated soil were investigated. The results showed that the application of EP significantly enhanced the unconfined compressive strength (UCS), cohesion and internal friction angle of Cu-contaminated soil. All specimens met the UCS criterion specified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USPEA), namely no less than 0.35 MPa, which indicated that those EP-cured Cu-contaminated soil were qualified for practical engineering applications. According to the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), the application of EP enhanced the stability of Cu in Cu-contaminated soil. The leaching index of Cu ranged from 11 to 14. A high leaching index showed that the S/S treatment was safe and effective and the remediated Cu-contaminated soil satisfied the environmental requirement for heavy metals. This study confirmed the feasibility of utilizing EP in the solidification/stabilization (S/S) technology to convert high-concentration Cu-contaminated soil into secure and stable engineering materials. The remediation of Cu-contaminated soil by EP lays a solid foundation for the safe treatment and reuse of heavy metal-contaminated land resources.

Synergistic performance of a new bimetallic complex supported on magnetic nanoparticles for Sonogashira and C–N coupling reactions

This paper describes the synthesis of a novel Cu–Ni bimetallic system comprising of magnetic nanoparticles, as the core, and 4-amino-3,5-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole (4-ABPT), as a conjugated bridge, between nickel and copper species. With low Cu and Ni loading (0.06 mol% Ni, 0.08 mol% Cu), the resulting Fe3O4@SiO2@4-ABPT/Cu–Ni showed to be a highly efficient catalyst for the Sonogashira and C–N cross-coupling reactions. The developed catalyst was well characterized by FT-IR, XRD, EDX-mapping, FE-SEM, TEM, ICP, VSM, TGA/DTG/DTA, LSV, and XPS techniques. Fe3O4@SiO2@4-ABPT/Cu–Ni nanocatalyst was compatible with a wide range of amines and aryl halides in the Sonogashira and C–N cross-coupling reactions and offered desired coupling products in high to excellent yields under palladium- and solvent-free conditions. Based on the XPS results, the 4-ABPT ligand can adjust electron transfer between Ni and Cu in Fe3O4@SiO2@4-ABPT/Cu–Ni, promoting the formation and stabilization of Cu+ and Ni3+ species. Electronic interactions and the synergistic effect between these metals increased the selectivity and activity of Fe3O4@SiO2@4-ABPT/Cu–Ni catalyst in the Sonogashira and C–N cross-coupling reactions compared with its monometallic counterparts. Additionally, the magnetic properties of Fe3O4@SiO2@4-ABPT/Cu–Ni facilitated its separation from the reaction mixture, promoting its reuse for several times with no significant loss in its catalytic activity or performance.

Highly Improved PID Stability for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Modules Due to a Filled P1 Groove

Two types of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin-film solar modules, differing only in the patterning procedures, were exposed to a high voltage (1 kV) across the thickness of the soda-lime glass substrate. Both module types utilized a cell stack, and in particular, a molybdenum back contact, which was optimized for CIGS solar cells with enhanced stability against potential-induced degradation (PID). A standard module with regular patterning lines for monolithic interconnection consists of P1, P2, and P3 lines, with P1 separating the back contact, P2 establishing the contact between the front contact TCO of one cell to the Mo back contact of the next cell, and P3 isolating the front contact from one cell to the next cell. However, modules employing this cell stack with regular patterning lines P1, P2, and P3 suffered considerably from PID while modules with a P1 groove filled with an insulator showed greatly enhanced stability similar to the pure single cell without P1 patterning. PID manifests once a specific quantity of charge has been transmitted through the soda-lime glass substrate, while the molybdenum back contact of the cell functions as the cathode, maintaining a negative bias relative to the substrate’s backside. As a consequence of PID, sodium is increased in the adsorber for susceptible cells. Therefore, inhibiting sodium transport through the P1 groove by filling it with an insulating material enhances the PID stability of the modules considerably. As a result, the modules with a filled P1 groove showed similar stability to the single solar cells with an improved PID stable cell stack, while modules without a filled P1 patterning were much more susceptible to PID, although a cell stack with greatly enhanced PID stability was used. In summary, the presented strategy to fill the P1 groove offers a viable and novel path to improved PID stability of CIGS modules.

Binder-free Cu/Cu2O/CuO/Pd nanorods photoelectrode for regulating the faradaic efficiency for acetaldehyde and acetate production during photoelectrochemical CO2RR by stabilizing the Cu2O phase

The development of efficient photoelectrodes to accelerate photoelectrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (PEC-CO2RR) to obtain value-added chemicals or fuels is remarkably significant. Although Cu2O-based three-dimensional (3D) heterojunctions have emerged as promising materials for the selective generation of C2 products, they are still plagued by the stability of Cu+ in the Cu2O phase. In this work, we developed a binder-free Cu/Cu2O/CuO/Pd nanorods heterojunction via simple oxidation/reduction procedures to stabilize Cu+ in the Cu2O phase by incorporating high-work function Pd nanoparticles as a co-catalyst. The incorporated Pd not only stabilizes Cu+ through charge transfer from Cu2O to Pd but also enhances the stability of the *CO intermediate to improve C–C coupling for the formation of the C2 products, primarily acetate, and acetaldehyde. The Cu/Cu2O/CuO/Pd photoelectrode exhibits a superior Faradaic efficiency (FE) to produce acetate (21.4%) acetate and acetaldehyde (20.8%) at a negative potential of − 1.4 V (vs RHE), which are 3.5 and 19 times higher than that of Cu/Cu2O/CuO photoelectrode. Moreover, the Cu/Cu2O/CuO photoelectrode produces a maximum hydrogen gas evolution of ∼70% at − 1.2 V (vs RHE). Furthermore, compared to the Cu/Cu2O/CuO photoelectrode, the Cu/Cu2O/CuO/Pd photoelectrodes exhibit remarkable stability for a 5-h operation even at a higher negative applied potential of − 1.2 V vs RHE in CO2-saturated 0.1 M KHCO3. The stabilization of the Cu2O (111) phase is confirmed by the appearance of a characteristic X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron peaks after PEC-CO2RR. These results indicate that the proposed high-stability Cu/Cu2O/CuO/Pd photoelectrode provides a new pathway to produce more C2 products of acetaldehyde and acetate.

Reducibility of Cu-zeolites and stability of Cu+ monocarbonyl adducts: Qualitative and quantitative relationships from MCR-XAS and DFT

A series of Cu-exchanged zeolites differing in framework topology and composition are studied through in situ X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) to highlight differences in reducibility depending on the characteristics of the different samples. After reduction at high temperature in NH3, the samples are exposed to CO at 50 °C followed by a temperature-programmed desorption to study the different stability of carbonyl species forming on the Cu+ sites. Multivariate Curve Analysis applied to the XAS data allows extracting concentration profiles and pure spectral profiles on the species involved during several steps of the reaction. While all the samples are quantitatively reduced after treatment in NH3, the stability of the [Cu(CO)]+ sites shows a dependence on the topology of the materials. DFT calculations on possible sites occupied by Cu in the different frameworks are consistent with the stability trends observed experimentally and, together with isothermal volumetric CO adsorption data, confirm the particular instability of the Cu+-monocarbonyls formed in the CHA framework.

Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrophosphination of 3,3‐Disubstituted Cyclopropenes

AbstractHerein, a copper(I)‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrophosphination of 3,3‐disubstituted cyclopropenes is reported. It provides a series of phosphine derivatives in high to excellent diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities. The methodology enjoys broad substrate scope on both 3,3‐disubstituted cyclopropenes and diarylphosphines. The high stereoselectivity is attributed to both the high stability of the Cu(I)‐(R,R)‐QUINOXP* complex in the presence of stoichiometric HPPh2 and the produced phosphines, and the high‐performance asymmetric induction of the Cu(I)‐(R,R)‐QUINOXP* complex. Finally, the method is used for the synthesis of new chiral phosphine‐olefin compounds built on a cyclopropane skeleton, one of which serves as a wonderful ligand in Rh‐catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of phenylboronic acid to various α,β‐unsaturated compounds.

Copper(I)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrophosphination of 3,3-Disubstituted Cyclopropenes.

Herein, a copper(I)-catalyzed asymmetric hydrophosphination of 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropenes is reported. It provides a series of phosphine derivatives in high to excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities. The methodology enjoys broad substrate scope on both 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropenes and diarylphosphines. The high stereoselectivity is attributed to both the high stability of the Cu(I)-(R,R)-QUINOXP* complex in the presence of stoichiometric HPPh2 and the produced phosphines, and the high-performance asymmetric induction of the Cu(I)-(R,R)-QUINOXP* complex. Finally, the method is used for the synthesis of new chiral phosphine-olefin compounds built on a cyclopropane skeleton, one of which serves as a wonderful ligand in Rh-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of phenylboronic acid to various α,β-unsaturated compounds.

Extended Rate Constants Distribution (RCD) Model for Sorption in Heterogeneous Systems: 4. Kinetics of Metal Ions Sorption in the Presence of Complexing Agents-Application to Cu(II) Sorption on Polyethyleneimine Cryogel from Acetate and Tartrate Solutions.

Here, we report a new version of the extended Rate Constants Distribution (RCD) model for metal ion sorption, which includes complex-formation equilibria. With the RCD-complex model, one can predict sorbent performance in the presence of complexing agents using data on metal ion sorption from ligand-free solutions and a set of coefficients for sorption rate constants of different ionic species. The RCD-complex model was applied to breakthrough curves of Cu(II) sorption from acetate and tartrate solutions on polyethyleneimine (PEI) monolith cryogel at different flow rates and ionic speciation. We have shown that, despite the lower stability of Cu(II)-acetate complex, at high flow rates, acetate has a more pronounced negative effect on sorption kinetics than tartrate. The RCD model was successfully used to predict the shape of the breakthrough curves at an arbitrary acetate concentration but failed to predict Cu(II) sorption from tartrate solutions in a broad range of ligand concentrations. Since a twofold increase in sorption capacity was observed at low tartrate concentrations, the latter fact was related to an alteration in the sorption mechanism of Cu(II)-ions, which depended on Cu(II) ionic speciation. The obtained results emphasize the importance of information about sorption kinetics of different ionic forms for the optimization of sorption filter performance in the presence of complexing agents.

Assessment of the Stabilization of Cu-, Pb-, and Zn-Contaminated Fine Soil Using Cockle Shells, Scallop Shells, and Starfish

Soil washing is a well-established remediation technology for treating soil contaminated with heavy metals. It involves the separation of contaminants from the soil using acidic washing agents. Nevertheless, the application of washing agents at high concentrations may lead to soil acidification and the destruction of the clay structure. To avert this problem, recently, a soil washing variant has been presented, which solely employs high-pressure water without any chemical solvents. However, the fine soil generated from soil washing at a high-pressure contains high levels of heavy metals and requires proper treatment. This study examines the use and applicability of natural aquaculture materials as stabilizing agents for treating heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn) in fine soil generated by high-pressure soil washing. Three aquaculture materials were assessed, namely, cockle shells (CKS), scallop shells (SLS), and Asterias amurensis starfish (ASF). Each material was processed to yield three types of stabilizing agents: natural type (-#10 mesh), natural type (-#20 mesh), and calcined(C) type (-#10 mesh). Each stabilizing agent was added to the contaminated soil at a ratio of 0 to 10 wt%, and then, mixed with an appropriate amount of water. After wet curing for 28 days, the stabilization efficiency of Cu, Pb, and Zn was evaluated using 0.1 N HCl solution. The elution of heavy metals showed a decreasing trend with higher dosages of stabilizing agents. The calcined type (-#10) showed the highest stabilization efficiency, followed by the natural type (-#20) and natural type (-#10). In addition, a comparison of the efficiency of the different stabilizing agents showed that calcined ASF (CASF) had the highest stabilization efficiency, followed by calcined SLS (CSLS), calcined CKS (CCKS), natural ASF (NASF), natural SLS (NSLS), and natural CKS. Finally, analysis of samples exhibiting the highest stabilization efficiency by scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM–EDX) confirmed that the pozzolanic reaction contributed to the stabilization treatment. The results of this study demonstrate that heavy metal-contaminated fine soil, generated by high-pressure washing, can be remediated by stabilizing Cu, Pb, and Zn using waste aquaculture materials (CKS, SLS, and ASF), which are often illegally dumped into the sea or landfills and cause environmental damage.

The First Cu(I)-Peptoid Complex: Enabling Metal Ion Stability and Selectivity via Backbone Helicity.

Stabilization of Cu(I) is ubiquitous within native copper proteins. Understanding how to stabilize Cu(I) within synthetic biomimetic systems is therefore desired towards biological applications. Peptoids are an important class of peptodomimetics, that can bind metal ions and stabilize them in their high oxidation state. Thus, to date, they were not used for Cu(I) binding. Here we show how the helical peptoid hexamer, having two 2,2'-bipyridine (Bipy) groups that face the same side of the helix, forms the intramolecular air stable Cu(I) complex. Further study of the binding site by rigorous spectroscopic techniques suggests that Cu(I) is tetracoordinated, binding to only three N atoms from the Bipy ligands and to the N-terminus of the peptoid's backbone. A set of control peptoids and experiments indicates that the Cu(I) stability and selectivity are dictated by the intramolecular binding, forced by the helicity of the peptoid, which can be defined as the second coordination sphere of the metal center.

Effects of Fe solid solute on grain boundaries of bi-crystal Cu: A molecular dynamics simulation

Grain boundaries (GBs) play a crucial role on the structural stability and mechanical properties of Cu and its alloys. In this work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are employed to study the effects of Fe solutes on the formation energy, excess volume, dislocations and melting behaviors of GBs in CuFe alloys. It is illustrated that Fe solute affects the structural stability of Cu GBs substantially, the formation energy of GBs is reduced, but the thickness and melting point of GBs are increased, that is, the structural stability of Cu GBs is significantly improved owing to the Fe solutes. A strong scaling law exists between the formation energy, excess volume, thickness and melting point of GBs. Therefore, Fe solid solute plays an important role in the characteristics of GBs in bi-crystal Cu.