Synthesis of copper nano/microparticles via thermal decomposition and their conversion to copper oxide film

Copper nano/microparticles were synthesized in octadecene at 290 °C by thermal decomposition method. Copper acetate monohydrate, stearic acid, and 1-octadecanol were used as copper precursor, capping and mild reducing agents, respectively, at the synthesis. Borosilicate glass substrates submerged into the reaction solution during the synthesis were coated by copper nano/microparticles. Thermal decomposition and coating techniques were combined in this study. Copper nano/microparticles were thoroughly characterised via X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron, Raman, and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, and scanning and transmission electron microscopies. The average minimum Feret's diameter of these synthesized copper particles was measured as ~87 ± 19 nm. Copper nano/microparticles were converted to copper oxide nano/microparticles by applying heat treatment at 250 °C. The phase composition of copper oxide nano/microparticles was determined by reference intensity ratio analysis. The energy gap of copper oxide nano/microparticles was determined as ~2.33 eV by using Tauc's method. Their band gap PL emission was observed at ~2.15 eV.