Facile synthesis of size-tunable copper and copper oxide nanoparticles using reverse microemulsions
- 7 February 2013
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) in RSC Advances
- Vol. 3 (15), 5015-5021
- https://doi.org/10.1039/c3ra23455j
Abstract
The synthesis of pure metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles of a desired size remains a significant challenge. We describe a novel, simple and convenient method for the synthesis of copper and copper(II) oxide nanoparticles with tailored sizes at room temperature from a common copper(II) salt (CuSO4·5H2O) in TX-100/n-hexanol/cyclohexane/water by a reverse microemulsion route. It was found that reduction with hydrazine hydrate (reduction potential 1.15 V) in an inert N2 environment gives copper nanoparticles whereas reaction with sodium borohydrate (reduction potential 1.24 V) in aerobic condition gives copper(II) oxide nanoparticles. Several parameters were modulated to examine their effects on the structural properties of nanoparticles, namely the size and morphology of the nanoparticles. The size of the copper and copper(II) oxide nanoparticles can be easily controlled by changing the molar ratio of water to surfactant or by altering the concentration of the reactants. The nanoparticles were characterized using a variety of analytical techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD), quasi elastic light scattering (QELS), UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). Our studies reveal that the nanoparticles are spherical in shape and have an average size distribution of 5–100 nm. Our protocol provides a rapid and low cost procedure for the synthesis of both copper and copper(II) oxide nanoparticles in the same microemulsion pool. The nanoparticles so formed have been successfully used for catalyzing various chemical reactions.This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- Synthesis, characterisation and stability of Cu2O nanoparticles produced via reverse micelles microemulsionMaterials Chemistry and Physics, 2010
- Copper in medicineCurrent Opinion in Chemical Biology, 2003
- Chloroform vapour sensor based on copper/polyaniline nanocompositeSensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2002
- Yttrium barium copper oxide as an infrared radiation sensing materialPublished by Elsevier BV ,2001
- Bimetallic nanoparticles—novel materials for chemical and physical applicationsNew Journal of Chemistry, 1998
- Nanocomposite Materials for Optical ApplicationsChemistry of Materials, 1997
- Preparation and Characterization of Ultrafine Metal Particles in Ethanol by UV Irradiation Using a PhotoinitiatorLangmuir, 1995
- In situ synthesis of silver nanocluster in AOT reverse micellesThe Journal of Physical Chemistry, 1993
- Size tailoring of silver colloids by reduction in microemulsionsJournal of Colloid and Interface Science, 1992
- Synthesis of metal colloids in inverse microemulsionsMolecular Physics, 1990