Synthesis of spindle-like CuO nanoparticles by using cathode glow discharge electrolysis plasma

• Published in: Materials letters 2020-04, Vol.264, p.127316, Article 127316
• Main Authors: Lu, Quanfang, Wang, Xing, Yu, Jie, Feng, Feifei, Yin, Ling, Kang, Yuejing, Luo, Hui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cathode glow; Cathode glow discharge electrolysis plasma (CGDEP); Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide; Copper oxide (CuO); Copper oxides; Electrolysis; Glow discharges; Materials science; Metal foils; Morphology; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles (NPs); Optical fibers
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2020.127316

•Spindle-like CuO nanoparticles (NPs) was prepared by CGDEP technique.•Pt needle point and Cu foil were acted as cathode and anode, respectively.•The optimized electrolyte was 2.5 g L−1 NaNO3 containing 1.0 g L−1 CTAB.•The particle diameters of spindle-like CuO NPs are about 250–350 nm long. Spindle-like CuO nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared in a single-step approach by using a cathode glow discharge electrolysis plasma (CGDEP) technique with 2.5 g L−1 NaNO3 as an electrolyte and 1.0 g L−1 cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a stabilizer. When a sufficiently high voltage (>280 V) was applied, plasma was generated around the Pt needle point cathode. The copper foil anode was gradually consumed and black CuO NPs appeared. The active species formed during the CGDEP process were recorded on an optical fiber spectrometry. The structure and morphology of the CuO NPs were characterized by XRD and SEM. The results showed that spindle-like CuO NPs with the length of 250–350 nm were formed at 300 V discharge voltage.