The effect of pH and temperature of electrolyte on the morphology and PEC performance of electrodeposited Cu2O nanostructures

This study examines the influence of electrolyte parameters on the synthesis of Cu2O semiconductor nanostructures. Cu2O nanostructures were synthesized using the electrodeposition method for application in photoelectrochemical water splitting. The study focused on investigating the effects of electrolyte pH and temperature during the synthesis process. Cuprous oxide is considered a promising p-type semiconductor due to its excellent light absorption in the solar spectrum window. It is an attractive semiconductor for photoelectrochemical water splitting, given its high theoretical efficiency for this process. Various characterizations including X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) were used to analyze the structural properties of the synthesized Cu2O. The photoelectrochemical activity of the synthesized samples was evaluated using current-voltage measurements. The results suggest that the optimal electrolyte conditions for Cu2O synthesis were achieved at pH 13 and electrolyte temperature of 60°C.