Thermal oxidation of Cu2S nanowires: A template method for the fabrication of mesoscopic CuxO (x = 1,2) wires

Abstract

The thermal behavior of Cu₂S nanowires has been studied in the presence of N₂ and O₂. The nanowires are stable in N₂ at the highest temperature we have studied (320 °C), but they are oxidized by O₂ to Cu₂O above 260 °C and to CuO at even higher temperatures. At the highest temperature we have studied (400 °C), the S atoms in the Cu₂S nanowires are completely removed by O₂, forming Cu_xO wires mainly with x = 2. Although the Cu_1,2O wires are polycrystalline and are much thicker than Cu₂S nanowires, they are remarkably uniform. This represents a new template method for the synthesis of mesoscopic Cu_1,2O wires.