Copper oxides on brasses of different phase composition: anode formation and photoelectrocatalytic activity

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Abstract

Copper oxides in combination with other materials, for example, zinc oxide, are considered promising materials for photocatalytic processes of oxidation of organic impurities or photoelectrochemical water splitting. One of the methods for one-stage production of oxide structures of complex composition is the anodic oxidation of alloys. Evaluation of the photocatalytic or photoelectrochemical activity of the obtained materials is possible using photoelectrochemical parameters – the value of photocurrent or photopotential generated under illumination. The purpose of the work is to determine the effectiveness of using Cu(I) oxides, anodically formed in an alkaline solution on alloys of the Cu-Zn system with a zinc concentration of 34 to 50 at. %, in the process of photoelectrochemical decomposition of water. The elemental composition of the alloys was determined using energy-dispersive microanalysis. With increasing concentration of zinc in the studied concentration range, the phase composition changes from á- to β-phase, which is confirmed by the results of X-ray diffractometry. The change in the composition and structure of the alloy is reflected in the photoelectrochemical parameters of the anodic oxide films formed on it. The most promising material for photoelectrocatalytic transformations is an oxide film anodically formed in 0.1 M KOH on an alloy with a zinc concentration of 50 at. % and a β-phase structure. At a relatively low concentration of defects, the highest values of photocurrent are recorded in it at a high enough value of quantum efficiency.

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About the authors

I. А. Belyanskaya

Voronezh State University

Author for correspondence.
Email: sg@chem.vsu.ru
Russian Federation, Voronezh

М. Yu. Bocharnikova

Voronezh State University

Email: sg@chem.vsu.ru
Russian Federation, Voronezh

S. N. Grushevskaya

Voronezh State University

Email: sg@chem.vsu.ru
Russian Federation, Voronezh

O. А. Kozaderov

Voronezh State University

Email: sg@chem.vsu.ru
Russian Federation, Voronezh

A. V. Vvedensky

Voronezh State University

Email: sg@chem.vsu.ru
Russian Federation, Voronezh

S. V. Kannykin

Voronezh State University

Email: sg@chem.vsu.ru
Russian Federation, Voronezh

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. X-ray diffraction patterns of alloys of the Cu-Zn system.

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3. Fig. 2. Anodic (a) and cathodic (b) voltammograms of Cu-Zn alloys in 0.1 M KOH.

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4. Fig. 3. Anodic chronoamperograms on Cu-Zn alloys in 0.1 M KOH at E = –0.17 V.

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5. Fig. 4. Dependence of photocurrent on the duration of anodic oxidation of Cu-Zn alloys.

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6. Fig. 5. Dependence of photocurrent on the thickness of Cu(I) oxide on Cu-Zn alloys.

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7. Fig. 6. Dependence of photopotential on time after completion of anodic oxidation of Cu-Zn alloys.

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Note

The article was presented by a participant in the All-Russian Conference “Electrochemistry-2023”, held from October 23 to October 26, 2023 in Moscow at the Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry named after A.N. Frumkin RAS.


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