An overview of the voltammetric behaviour of Cu single-crystal electrodes

Copper is an important electrocatalyst in diverse applications such as CO2 reduction, CO oxidation, NO3- reduction, and electrochemical sensors. To achieve the most efficient catalytic performance, research has been devoted to elucidating the underlying reaction mechanisms and kinetics of why copper is the only efficient non-noble monometallic catalyst for these reactions. However, interpretation of electrochemical reactions at a copper electrode is not straightforward and the experimental results differ from laboratory to laboratory. This review highlights the importance of investigating the voltammetry of copper electrodes and summarizes factors which influence the position, size, and shape of the voltammetric peaks.