A novel self-supported catalytic electrode preparation method: Synthesizing & printing Cu-based nanoparticles on nickel foam by cold plasma jet

The preparation of self-supported catalytic electrodes with high activity, characterized by advantages such as binder-free composition and substantial mass loading through a straightforward and efficient process, is crucial for advancing both scientific research and industrial applications of electrocatalysis technology. In this study, we propose an integrated strategy involving cold plasma synthesis & printing to prepare a Cu-NiF self-supported catalytic electrode. By injecting atomized copper chloride solution into the Ar plasma jet, size-uniform copper hydroxide nanoparticles were synthesized and printed on the nickel foam surface. Hydroxyl radicals produced by plasma exciting water molecules react with the copper ions to synthesize copper hydroxide nanoparticles. The polar groups grafted on the nickel foam surface control the nucleation and crystallization process of nanoparticles for high throughput and high uniformity printing. Finally, the prepared Cu-NiF electrode exhibited a reduction efficiency of 88.89% in an electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction.