Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Prepared by Solid State Thermal Decomposition: Synthesis and Characterization

In this paper, we have focused on the preparation and characterization of copper oxide nanoparticles by solid state thermal decomposition of copper(I) iodide in the presence of thiosemicarbazone ligands without the need for a catalyst, employing toxic solvent, template or surfactant and complicated equipment, which makes it efficient, one-step, simple and environment-friendly. CuO nanoparticles were achieved at 600 ˚C for 3 h as black products and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The FT-IR spectra of black powders prepared show absorption maxima at ≈ 525 cm-1 which are due to Cu-O stretching mode. Also, all the X-ray diffraction peaks could be readily assigned to those of crystalline CuO. The absence of any residual ligand traces or other phases in the FT-IR spectra and XRD patterns confirmed the preparation of high purity and single phase copper oxide nanoparticles. The TEM images show that the synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles are of plate like shape with average diameters of 10 – 20 nm. On the basis of the above results, the use of thiosemicarbazone ligands at the presence of suitable transition metal ions is potentially capable of forming other transition metal oxide nanoparticles by solid state thermal decomposition.