Synthesis of Bimetallic Cu-Au Nanotubes and Cu@Au Core-Shell Nanowires for Anti-Oxidative Electrodes

초록

We report the synthesis of bimetallic Cu-Au nanotubes (NTs) and Cu@Au core-shell nanowires (NWs) for use as anti-oxidative electrodes. The fabrication involved two key approaches: galvanic replacement to produce Cu-Au NTs and the physical deposition of Au to form Cu@Au core-shell NWs. The galvanic replacement process generated hollow NTs through the Kirkendall effect, driven by the unequal diffusion rates of Cu and Au during the redox reaction. In contrast, the physical deposition of Au, facilitated by fast reduction kinetics using L-ascorbic acid, enabled the formation of a Au shell encapsulating the Cu NWs, preserving their structural integrity. Morphological and structural analyses confirmed the successful formation of both nanostructures. While the Cu-Au NTs exhibited hollow interiors and increased dimensions, the Cu@Au NWs displayed a solid core-shell morphology with minimal diameter increase. Electrical conductivity and thermal stability tests revealed the superior performance of the Cu@Au NWs. The sheet resistance of Cu@Au NWs remained as low as 4 Ω sq-1 and showed exceptional thermal stability, with minimal resistance variation (R/Ro ~1.36) even after 36 h at 120 °C under ambient conditions. In contrast, the Cu-Au NTs suffered rapid oxidation and structural instability. The physical deposition approach holds significant promise for the development of robust, low-resistance electrodes for long-term applications in harsh environments.

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