Design of bimetallic 3D-printed electrocatalysts via galvanic replacement to enhance energy conversion systems

• Published in: Applied catalysis. B, Environmental Vol. 316; p. 121609
• Main Authors: Muñoz, Jose, Iffelsberger, Christian, Redondo, Edurne, Pumera, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 05.11.2022
• Subjects: 3D-printed electrodes; Cu/PLA; Hydrogen evolution reaction; Oxygen reduction reaction; Scanning electrochemical microscopy; Scanning electrochemical microscopy; Hydrogen evolution reaction; 3D-printed electrodes; Cu/PLA; Oxygen reduction reaction
• ISSN: 0926-3373; 1873-3883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2022.121609

3D-printing (also known as additive manufacturing) has recently emerged as an appealing technology to fight against the mainstream use of carbon-based fossil fuels by the large-scale, decentralized, and sustainable manufacturing of 3D-printed electrodes for energy conversion devices. Although promising strides have been made in this area, the tunability and implementation of cost-effective metal-based 3D-printed electrodes is a challenge. Herein, a straightforward method is reported to produce bimetallic 3D-printed electrodes with built-in noble metal catalysts via galvanic replacement. For this goal, a commercially available copper/polylactic acid composite filament has been exploited for the fabrication of Cu-based 3D-printed electrodes (3D-Cu) using fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology. The subsequent electroless deposition of an active noble metal catalyst (viz. Pd) onto the 3D-Cu surface has been carried out via galvanic exchange. A detailed electrochemical study run by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) has revealed that the resulting bimetallic 3D-PdCu electrode exhibits enhanced capabilities by energy conversion related reactions —hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)— when compared with the monometallic 3D-Cu counterpart. Thus, this simple functionalization approach provides a custom way for manufacturing functional metal-based 3D-printed electronics harboring noble metal catalysts to improve energy-converting applications on-demand and beyond. [Display omitted] •3D-printed copper electrodes have been modified with noble metal electrocatalysts by galvanic replacement.•Bimetallic 3D-printed electrocatalysts enhanced hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions .•This surface engineering approach brings on-demand decentralized energy-converting systems.