Catalytic Electrochemical Water Splitting Using Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) Electrodes as a Promising Energy Resource and Storage Solution

At a Glance

Metadata	Details
Publication Date	2020-10-10
Journal	Energies
Authors	Yousef Al-Abdallat, Inshad Jumah, Rami Jumah, Hanadi Ghanem, Ahmad Telfah
Institutions	Kirchhoff (Germany), University of Jordan
Citations	8
Analysis	Full AI Review Included

Technical Documentation & Analysis: Boron Doped Diamond for High-Efficiency Water Splitting

Executive Summary

This documentation analyzes the research demonstrating the superior performance of Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) electrodes in catalytic electrochemical water splitting, a critical process for sustainable hydrogen production and energy storage.

Core Achievement: A novel electrochemical reactor utilizing BDD/Niobium (Nb) mesh electrodes achieved high water splitting efficiency, significantly reducing dissipated energy compared to non-catalyzed systems.
Material Performance: BDD electrodes provided the necessary chemical resistance and unique electrochemical properties required for high-voltage oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions.
Catalytic Enhancement: The use of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles (CuO NPs) as a catalyst resulted in the best performance, achieving a normalized energy efficiency of 100% (relative maximum) and reducing energy dissipation to 48%.
Electrode Structure: The electrodes consisted of an 8 µm thick BDD film deposited via Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition (HFCVD) onto a Niobium mesh substrate, demonstrating the viability of thin-film BDD on conductive metals.
Key Mechanism: Catalysts (CuO NPs, ZnO NPs) facilitated charge transportation, stabilizing electrical current and voltage, thereby minimizing kinetic overpotentials and improving overall system efficiency.
Application Potential: The findings confirm BDD/Nb electrodes are promising for driving solar-powered water splitting systems, suitable for integration into Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) and Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFCs).

Technical Specifications

The following table summarizes the critical material and performance parameters extracted from the study:

Parameter	Value	Unit	Context
Electrode Material	Boron Doped Diamond (BDD)	N/A	Coated on Niobium (Nb) mesh
BDD Film Thickness	8	µm	Deposited via HFCVD
Electrode Area (Geometrical)	63	cm²	Two mesh electrodes (Anode/Cathode)
Electrode Spacing	1	mm	Distance between anode and cathode
BDD Crystalline Peak (Raman)	1337	cm^-1	Indicates high film quality BDD
Preferred Crystal Orientation (XRD)	(111)	N/A	Highest intensity BDD peak at 2θ = 43.9°
Applied Voltage (Average)	15.60 - 15.62	V	Stable DC supply
Non-Catalyzed Efficiency	25	%	Water buffer (pH 6.5)
CuO NPs Catalyzed Efficiency (Normalized)	100	%	Highest performance achieved
ZnO NPs Catalyzed Efficiency (Normalized)	82	%	Relative to CuO NPs
Energy Dissipation Rate (CuO NPs)	48	%	Normalized dissipation rate
Energy Dissipation Rate (ZnO NPs)	65	%	Normalized dissipation rate
Starting Solution Temperature	24.3	°C	Ambient temperature
Maximum Solution Temperature	~41	°C	Non-catalyzed system (asymptotic approach)

Key Methodologies

The BDD/Nb electrodes were fabricated and tested using the following key steps:

Substrate Preparation: Niobium (Nb) mesh substrate (Type C1_METAKEM GmbH) was mechanically pre-treated using particle blasting to enhance surface roughness and improve diamond adhesion.
Seeding: The treated Nb mesh was ultrasonically cleaned with ethanol and seeded using nano diamond dispersion in ethanol, following a standard nucleation protocol.
BDD Deposition (HFCVD): Coating was performed in Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition (HFCVD) equipment at low pressure (7 mbar) using a CH₄/H₂ atmosphere.
Doping: Trimethyl borate (B(OCH₃)₃) was incorporated into the gaseous mixture as the boron doping agent to ensure high electrical conductivity.
Electrochemical Setup: Two BDD/Nb mesh electrodes (63 cm² area, 1 mm spacing) were placed in a 2 L Plexiglas reactor connected to a DC power supply (3 A, 30 V max).
Catalyst Testing: Experiments compared a non-catalyzed buffer solution (pH 6.5) against systems catalyzed by dissolved CuO NPs and ZnO NPs (10 mg/L concentration).
Performance Metrics: Electrical current (I), voltage (V), temperature (T), acidity (pH), and electrical conductivity (σ) were monitored over time (up to 200 minutes) to calculate input, dissipated, and splitting energies.

6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities

6CCVD is uniquely positioned to supply the advanced diamond materials and custom fabrication services required to replicate, scale, and extend this high-efficiency water splitting research.

Applicable Materials

To achieve the high chemical resistance and low overpotential required for efficient water splitting, 6CCVD recommends:

Heavy Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) Wafers/Plates: Our BDD material is optimized for electrochemical applications, offering high conductivity and stability under extreme operating conditions (high voltage, acidic/basic environments).
Custom Thickness BDD: The paper utilized an 8 µm film. 6CCVD offers precise thickness control for BDD films ranging from 0.1 µm up to 500 µm, allowing researchers to optimize film thickness for maximum catalytic surface area and conductivity.
Alternative Substrates: While the paper used Nb, 6CCVD can deposit BDD films on various conductive substrates, including Silicon (Si), Tungsten (W), or Titanium (Ti), depending on the specific mechanical and thermal requirements of the reactor design.

Customization Potential

The use of a specific Niobium mesh geometry (63 cm² area, 1 mm spacing) highlights the need for precise electrode fabrication. 6CCVD offers comprehensive customization services:

Requirement from Paper	6CCVD Capability	Technical Advantage
Custom Geometry (Mesh)	Laser Cutting & Shaping: We provide precision laser cutting services to achieve complex electrode shapes and custom dimensions up to 125 mm (PCD/BDD).	Enables rapid prototyping and scaling of unique reactor geometries (e.g., mesh, perforated plates).
BDD Film Thickness (8 µm)	Thickness Control: SCD/PCD/BDD thickness control from 0.1 µm to 500 µm. Substrates up to 10 mm thick.	Allows fine-tuning of electrochemical properties (e.g., doping profile, charge carrier density).
Niobium Substrate	Custom Metalization: We offer in-house metalization services including Ti, W, Cu, Pt, Au, and Pd layers, which can serve as adhesion layers or conductive substrates for BDD deposition.	Provides flexibility in selecting substrates with optimal mechanical, thermal, and electrical compatibility for specific reactor designs.
Surface Quality	Polishing: SCD surfaces can be polished to an ultra-smooth finish (Ra < 1 nm), crucial for fundamental studies, or left with a controlled roughness for maximized electrochemical surface area.	Tailors the electrode surface for either high-precision analysis or high-throughput catalysis.

Engineering Support

6CCVD’s in-house team of PhD material scientists specializes in optimizing diamond properties for demanding applications. We offer dedicated engineering support for:

Electrochemical Catalyst Integration: Assistance in selecting the optimal BDD doping level and surface termination to maximize interaction with specific nanoparticle catalysts (e.g., CuO NPs, ZnO NPs) for enhanced water splitting projects.
Reactor Design Optimization: Consultation on material selection (BDD grade, substrate choice, metalization stack) to ensure long-term stability and efficiency in high-current density electrochemical reactors.
Advanced Characterization: Support in correlating CVD growth parameters (like those used in HFCVD/MPCVD) with resulting material characteristics (Raman shift, XRD orientation) to guarantee reproducible, high-quality BDD electrodes.

For custom specifications or material consultation, visit 6ccvd.com or contact our engineering team directly.

View Original Abstract

The present study developed a new system of electrochemical water splitting using a boron doped diamond (BDD) electrode in the electrochemical reactor. The new method assessed the electrical current, acidity (pH), electrical conductivity, absorbance, dissipation, and splitting energies in addition to the water splitting efficiency of the overall process. Employing CuO NPs and ZnO NPs as catalysts induced a significant impact in reducing the dissipated energy and in increasing the efficiency of splitting water. Specifically, CuO NPs showed a significant enhancement in reducing the dissipated energy and in keeping the electrical current of the reaction stable. Meanwhile, the system catalyzed with ZnO NPs induced a similar impact as that for CuO NPs at a lower rate only. The energy dissipation rates in the system were found to be 48% and 65% by using CuO and ZnO NPs, respectively. However, the dissipation rate for the normalized system without catalysis (water buffer at pH = 6.5) is known to be 100%. The energy efficiency of the system was found to be 25% without catalysis, while it was found to be 82% for the system catalyzed with ZnO NPs compared to that for CuO NPs (normalized to 100%). The energy dissipated in the case of the non-catalyzed system was found to be the highest. Overall, water splitting catalyzed with CuO NPs exhibits the best performance under the applied experimental conditions by using the BDD/Niobium (Nb) electrodes.

Tech Support

Original Source

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en13205265

References

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1972 - Electrochemical Photolysis of Water at a Semiconductor Electrode [Crossref]