Investigation of electrocatalytic activity of the nanostructured Au–Cu catalyst deposited on the titanium surface towards borohydride oxidation

• Titanium surface as a support for catalysts.
• Electrocatalysts for oxidation of borohydride.
• Catalysts preparation by galvanic displacement of copper layer by gold enables growth of nano-sized metal particles.

Well-adherent gold-coated copper films (Au/Cu), with particles of a few nanometers in size have been prepared on the titanium surface by a two-step process which involves electroless copper deposition followed by spontaneous galvanic displacement of Cu by Au from its tetrachloro-complex solution. The morphology and composition of the prepared catalysts have been characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The electrocatalytic activities of the nanostructured Au(Cu) catalysts deposited on the titanium surface have been investigated towards oxidation of BH4- ions in an alkaline medium by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The nanostructured Au(Cu)/Ti catalysts exhibit a significantly higher electrocatalytic activity and stability towards the electrooxidation of BH4- ions in an alkaline medium as compared to that of bare Au or Cu/Ti.