Abstract
A successful preparation of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) by using leaves extract (PE) of plant Combretum roxburghii Spreng. (C. roxburghii Spreng.) and its application towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are reported here. The synthesized CuONPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X‑ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), high reosolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). ICP-AES and SEM mapping confirmed the presence of Cu in synthesised NPs. The size of synthesized CuONPs had been found in the range of 2.06 to 6.20 nm with distorted spherical shape by HR-TEM. Both PE and CuONPs were coated on glassy carbon (GC) electrode to form modified electrodes, designated as GC/PE and GC/CuONPs respectively. These GC/PE and GC/CuONPs electrodes were subjected to cyclic voltammetry (CV) characterizations. It was found that GC/CuONPs displays good electrocatalytic activity for ORR. GC/CuONPs also exhibits outstanding operational stability up to 1000 CV cycles.