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Research Article

Flexible Au micro-array electrode with atomic-scale Au thin film for enhanced ethanol oxidation reaction

Xun Cao1,2,§, Dongdong Peng2,§, Cao Wu2,3, Yongmin He2, Chaojiang Li4, Bowei Zhang5, Changcun Han1, Junsheng Wu5( ), Zheng Liu2( ), Yizhong Huang1,2( )
College of Science, Hubei University of Technology, 28 Nanli Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan 430068, China
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
International Laboratory for Insulation and Energy Efficiency Materials, College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Jiangjun Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing 211100, China
School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, 5 South Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China

§ Xun Cao and Dongdong Peng contributed equally to this work.

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Graphical Abstract

Abstract

The catalysis of Au thin film could be improved by fabrication of array structures in large area. In this work, nanoimprint lithography has been developed to fabricate flexible Au micro-array (MA) electrodes with ~ 100% coverage. Advanced electron microscopy characterisations have directly visualised the atomic-scale three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures with a maximum depth of 6 atomic layers. In-situ observation unveils the crystal growth in the form of twinning. High double layer capacitance brings about large number of active sites on the Au thin film and has a logarithmic relationship with mesh grade. Electrochemistry testing shows that the Au MAs perform much better ethanol oxidation reaction than the planar sample; MAs with higher mesh grade have a greater active site utilisation ratio (ASUR), which is important to build electrochemical double layer for efficient charge transfer. Further improvement on ASUR is expected for greater electrocatalytic performance and potential application in direct ethanol fuel cell.

Keywords

atomic-scale three-dimensional (3D) nanostructuresatomic-scale active sitesin-situ observationsflexible electrodeethanol oxidation reactionactive site utilisation ratio

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Nano Research
Volume 14 Issue 1,
January 2021
Pages 311-319
DOI: 10.1007/s12274-020-3090-4
Cite this article:
Cao X, Peng D, Wu C, et al. Flexible Au micro-array electrode with atomic-scale Au thin film for enhanced ethanol oxidation reaction. Nano Research, 2021, 14(1): 311-319. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-020-3090-4
Topics:
Charge transferDirect ethanol fuel cells (DEFC)Electrochemical electrodesEthanol fuelsMesh generationThin films

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Received: 13 July 2020
Revised: 04 September 2020
Accepted: 05 September 2020
Published: 05 January 2021
© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature
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