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Electrochemical behaviors of hierarchical copper nano-dendrites in alkaline media

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Abstract

In this study, hierarchical copper nano-dendrites (CuNDs) are fabricated via the electrodeposition method. The electrochemical behaviors of the as-obtained hierarchical CuNDs in 0.1 M NaOH aqueous solution are subsequently studied. The CuNDs experience a non-equilibrium oxidation process when subjected to cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements. The first oxidation peak O1 in CV is attributed to the formation of an epitaxial Cu2O layer over the surface of the hierarchical CuNDs. However, the second oxidation peak O2 in CV appears unusually broad across a wide potential range. In this region, the reaction process starts with the nucleation and growth of Cu(OH)2 nanoneedles, followed by the oxidation of Cu2O. Upon the increase of potential, Cu2O is gradually transformed to CuO and Cu(OH)2, forming a dual-layer structure with high productivity of Cu(OH)2 nanoneedles.

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Acknowledgements

This research was support by Tier 1 (AcRF grant MOE Singapore M401992), Tier 2 (AcRF grant MOE Singapore M4020159), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51271031 and 51771027) and the National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2014CB643300).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Bowei Zhang, Guang Yang, Shiji Hao & Yizhong Huang

  2. Interdisciplinary Graduate School, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Guang Yang & Shiji Hao

  3. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore, 117575, Singapore

    Chaojiang Li

  4. Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China

    Kang Huang & Junsheng Wu

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  1. Bowei Zhang
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  2. Guang Yang
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  4. Kang Huang
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  5. Junsheng Wu
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  6. Shiji Hao
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  7. Yizhong Huang
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Correspondence to Junsheng Wu or Yizhong Huang.

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Zhang, B., Yang, G., Li, C. et al. Electrochemical behaviors of hierarchical copper nano-dendrites in alkaline media. Nano Res. 11, 4225–4231 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-018-2010-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-018-2010-3

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