Fabrication and Growth Mechanism of Nano-Octahedrons: A Study on Cu2O Core-Shell Structures for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

This paper explores the process and growth mechanism involved in fabricating nano-octahedrons. Using two key components, CTAB and hydrazine hydrate, leads to the formation of octahedral shapes. A Cu2O octahedral core–shell structure was successfully created by employing a coating technique, and its performance in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was thoroughly evaluated. Due to its high dispersibility in ammonia solution, Cu2O serves as an excellent representative for other components. Additionally, this chapter provides a detailed account of the production of octahedral nanocages through the ammonia etching method. Notably, the Cu2O nano octahedra demonstrate superior OER performance compared to commercial RuO2, exhibiting a significantly low overpotential of only 370 mV at 10 mA cm−2. These findings bear important implications for designing stable core/shell nanostructures and hollow structures by implementing appropriate chemicals while also deepening our understanding of the formation of octahedral shapes.