eprintid: 10132078
rev_number: 15
eprint_status: archive
userid: 608
dir: disk0/10/13/20/78
datestamp: 2021-07-30 11:10:12
lastmod: 2022-06-20 06:10:25
status_changed: 2021-07-30 11:10:12
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Dey, A
creators_name: Chandrabose, G
creators_name: Ghosh, P
creators_name: Damptey, LAO
creators_name: Clark, AH
creators_name: Selvaraj, V
creators_name: Kumar, RV
creators_name: Braithwaite, NSJ
creators_name: Zhuk, S
creators_name: Dalapati, GK
creators_name: Ramakrishna, S
creators_name: Krishnamurthy, S
title: Atmospheric pressure plasma engineered superhydrophilic CuO surfaces with enhanced catalytic activities
ispublished: pub
divisions: UCL
divisions: B04
divisions: C06
divisions: F56
keywords: CuO, OER, Plasma jet, Surface functionalization, Phenol degradation
note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
abstract: Cupric oxide (CuO) thin film has found widespread application as a low-cost, earth-abundant material for electro and photo catalytic applications. High surface wettability is a key factor to achieve enhanced efficiency in these catalytic applications. Here, we report a fast and environment friendly route to fabricate super hydrophilic CuO thin films using a low power (5–10 W) atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ). With APPJ treatment for 5 min, the CuO surface transforms from hydrophobic to super-hydrophilic with threefold increase in catalytic activity. The electrodes were extensively characterized using various bulk and surface-sensitive techniques. APPJ introduces anisotropy in the crystal structure and creates unique three-dimensional surface morphology with distinct surface chemical and electronic features. Interestingly, presence of oxygen in the plasma was found to be critical for the enhanced activities and the activity decreased when the functionalised with nitrogen plasma. Oxygen plasma functionalisation of CuO electrodes resulted in a 130 mV reduction in the onset potential for oxygen evolution reaction along with enhanced current density, 10 mA cm−2 against 3 mA cm−2 at 1 V vs Saturated Calomel Electrode in 0.1 M KOH without iR compensation. Importantly, without introducing any external dopants the work function could be decreased by 80 mV. Moreover, the treated films exhibited a higher rate of photo degradation (0.0283 min−1 compared to 0.0139 min−1) of Methylene Blue and phenol indicating efficient charge separation. This work presents the potential of APPJ functionalisation of CuO surface to boost the activity of other thin film catalyst materials and solutions processed systems.
date: 2021-10-30
date_type: published
publisher: Elsevier BV
official_url: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.150413
oa_status: green
full_text_type: other
language: eng
primo: open
primo_central: open_green
verified: verified_manual
elements_id: 1877703
doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.150413
lyricists_name: Dey, Avishek
lyricists_id: ADEYX21
actors_name: Dey, Avishek
actors_id: ADEYX21
actors_role: owner
full_text_status: public
publication: Applied Surface Science
volume: 564
article_number: 150413
citation:        Dey, A;    Chandrabose, G;    Ghosh, P;    Damptey, LAO;    Clark, AH;    Selvaraj, V;    Kumar, RV;                     ... Krishnamurthy, S; + view all <#>        Dey, A;  Chandrabose, G;  Ghosh, P;  Damptey, LAO;  Clark, AH;  Selvaraj, V;  Kumar, RV;  Braithwaite, NSJ;  Zhuk, S;  Dalapati, GK;  Ramakrishna, S;  Krishnamurthy, S;   - view fewer <#>    (2021)    Atmospheric pressure plasma engineered superhydrophilic CuO surfaces with enhanced catalytic activities.                   Applied Surface Science , 564     , Article 150413.  10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.150413 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.150413>.       Green open access   
 
document_url: https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10132078/1/superhydrophillic.pdf