Nanostructured Anodic Copper Oxides as Catalysts in Electrochemical and Photoelectrochemical Reactions

Recently, nanostructured copper oxides formed via anodizing have been intensively researched due to their potential catalytic applications in emerging issues. The anodic Cu2O and CuO nanowires or nanoneedles are attractive photo- and electrocatalysts since they show wide array of desired electronic and morphological features, such as highly-developed surface area. In CO2 electrochemical reduction reaction (CO2RR) copper and copper-based nanostructures indicate unique adsorption properties to crucial reaction intermediates. Furthermore, anodized copper-based materials enable formation of C2+ hydrocarbons and alcohols with enhanced selectivity. Moreover, anodic copper oxides provide outstanding turnover frequencies in electrochemical methanol oxidation at lowered overpotentials. Therefore, they can be considered as precious metals electrodes substituents in direct methanol fuel cells. Additionally, due to the presence of Cu(III)/Cu(II) redox couple, these materials find application as electrodes for non-enzymatic glucose sensors. In photoelectrochemistry, Cu2O-CuO heterostructures of anodic copper oxides with highly-developed surface area are attractive for water splitting. All the above-mentioned aspects of anodic copper oxides derived catalysts with state-of-the-art background have been reviewed within this paper.