Solvothermal Synthesis of Mesoporous 3D-CuCo2O4 Hollow Tubes as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Methanol Electro-Oxidation

Abstract

Transition metal oxides have attracted attention as promising electrode materials for energy storage and conversion devices with high electrochemical activity and stability. In this study, a simple and cost-effective solvothermal synthesis of rectangular 3D CuCo2O4 hollow tubes have been developed for methanol electro-oxidation application. Electrochemical analysis shows that CuCo2O4 hollow tubes exhibit superior electrochemical performance in terms of current density and cycling stability, with 75 mA cm(-2) and 90 % retention rate after 1000 cycles, respectively. The high electrochemical performances are mainly due to the morphological structure of CuCo2O4 hollow tubes, which possess high surface area and porosity, resulting to a faster electron-ion transfer, enhanced reactivity and stability. Given that the synthesis of CuCo2O4 hollow tubes involve a facile and cost-effective technique, the present approach, thus, opens a new era to novel materials for large-scale processes in different electrochemical applications.