Investigation of Electrocatalytic Activity of the Nanostructured Au-Cu Catalyst Deposited on the Titanium Surface towards Borohydride Oxidation

摘要

Well-adherent gold-coated copper films (Au/Cu), with particles of a few nanometers in size have been fabricated on the titanium surface by a two-step process which involves electroless copper deposition followed by spontaneous galvanic displacement of Cu by Au from its chloro-complex solution. The morphology and composition of the fabricated catalysts have been characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The electrocatalytic activities of the nanostructured Au(Cu) catalysts deposited on the titanium surface have been investigated towards the oxidation of BH_4 ions in an alkaline medium by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The nanostructured Au(Cu)/Ti catalysts exhibit a significantly higher electrocatalytic activity and stability towards the electrooxidation of BH_4~- ions in an alkaline medium as compared to that of bare Au or Cu/Ti.