Operando liquid electrochemistry using graphene membrane working electrode

Researchers at EPFL published recent work characterizing graphene as a working electrode for CO₂ electroreduction (CO₂ER) of Cu nanocatalysts with the Hummingbird Scientific Generation V bulk liquid-electrochemical SEM system. The robust three-layer graphene membrane, which served as the sample carrier, working electrode, and liquid sealing membrane, was applied to the chip via a wet transfer process. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) plots indicated a wider inert cathodic range for the graphene working electrode than glassy carbon. Keeping the probe current low enabled imaging of nanocube degradation and secondary particle deposition during CO₂ER at operating potential of -1.1 V vs RHE.

Figure: a) Schematic of graphene membrane preparation via wet transfer process. b) Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) of SiN_x, graphene, and glassy carbon comparing performance and inert potential range. c-d) Operando SEM, voltammetry and amperometry for CO₂ER of Cu nanocatalysts.

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Reference: Toleukhanova et. al. Adv. Mater. 36 (16) 2311133 (2024) DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c09105