Template synthesis of copper oxide nanowires for photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation

The direct-grown p-type copper oxide nanowires on copper foil were fabricated via a facile and cost-effective template route for photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen generation. The dense and curl-shaped copper oxide nanowires were carried out through thermal transformation of one-dimensional Cu(OH)2. The effect of thermal treatment on structure and composition revealed the phase transformation to CuO and Cu2O within the nanowire matrix by examinations of XRD and XPS. Significantly, PEC characteristics illustrated that the high active photocathode of copper oxide nanowires can achieve the photocurrent of −1.3 mA cm−2 at a potential of −0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl, corresponding to the solar conversion efficiency of 1.3%. The photoresponse of this hybrid copper oxide nanowires widely extended in the near-infrared wavelength of 920 nm, which have great potential application for light-harvesting device.