INVESTIGATION OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE REDUCTION ON COPPER-NICKEL FOAMS

In this study, the copper-nickel (Cu-Ni) foams have been investigated as a catalyst for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The Cu-Ni foams have been prepared using the low-cost electrochemical metal deposition method. Chemical baths contained a constant concentration of Cu²⁺ ions (0.05 M) and different concentrations of Ni²⁺ ions in the range from 0.05 to 0.5 M have been used for the electrodeposition of the Cu-Ni foams on the titanium (Ti) surface. The surface morphology, structure, and composition of the prepared catalysts have been examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The electroactivity of the prepared catalysts has been evaluated for the reduction reaction of H₂O₂ employing linear sweep voltammetry in a 0.1 KOH electrolyte at a potential scan rate of 50 mV s^-1.

It was found that the best electroactivity for the H₂O₂ reduction reaction shows the Cu-Ni foams deposited using a chemical bath contained 0.05 M Cu²⁺ ions and 0.2 M Ni²⁺ ions. Moreover, H₂O₂ reduction current density recorded on the Cu-Ni foams in the O₂-saturated 0.1 M KOH solution containing 5 mM H₂O₂ is ca. 1.3 times higher than that in the O₂-saturated 0.1 M KOH solution without H₂O₂.