CuGeO3/Graphene Composite Electrocatalyst and Method for Manufacturing the Same

Electrocatalyst of CuGeO3 Nanowires Grown in a Zigzag Pattern on Graphene

This technology involves the hybridization of 1D CuGeO3 nanowires grown on a 2D graphene sheet in a specific crystallographic orientation (zigzag arrangement with a 55–65° tilt angle). In particular, it utilizes hydrogen reduction heat treatment to induce oxygen vacancies on the surface, maximizing the triple-phase boundary effect at the 1D/2D heterointerface.

Existing catalysts for lithium-air batteries suffer from high manufacturing costs due to the use of precious metals (such as Pt) and complex synthesis processes. Furthermore, they struggle to effectively reduce the overpotential gap between the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), leading to poor energy efficiency and performance degradation caused by the accumulation of discharge products (Li2O2) on the electrode surface.

This technology enables the fabrication of a composite in which 1D CuGeO3 nanowires are regularly arranged on a graphene sheet via hydrothermal synthesis using GeO2 and Cu(CH3COO)2·H2O. When applied as an electrochemical catalyst, it contributes to process simplification and cost reduction.

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Key Features:

• An electrocatalyst comprising a graphene sheet with a hexagonal carbon lattice structure and a plurality of CuGeO3 nanowires arranged thereon.
• A configuration in which the plurality of CuGeO3 nanowires are arranged along a zigzag direction extending from one side of the hexagon toward the opposite side.
• A configuration in which the CuGeO3 nanowires are grown at a tilt angle of 55 to 65 degrees relative to the graphene sheet.
• A composite electrocatalyst of graphene and CuGeO3 with surface oxygen vacancies formed through hydrogen reduction heat treatment.

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