Preparing Cuprous Iodide Nanocolloid by the Electrical Spark Discharge Method

• Published in: Journal of cluster science 2022-09, Vol.33 (5), p.2069-2075
• Main Authors: Tseng, Kuo-Hsiung, Lin, Wei-Jhih, Chung, Meng-Yun, Tien, Der-Chi, Stobinski, Leszek
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catalysis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Copper; Copper wire; Crystal structure; Cuprous iodide; Deionization; Electric discharges; Electric fields; Electric sparks; Electrodes; Energy; Heat; High temperature; Inorganic Chemistry; Iodine; Methods; Molecular structure; Nanochemistry; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Original Paper; Parameters; Physical Chemistry; Pulse duration modulation; Spectrophotometry; Trace elements; Zeta potential
• ISSN: 1040-7278; 1572-8862
• DOI: 10.1007/s10876-021-02127-z

In this study, the electric spark discharge method was used to prepare a cuprous iodide nanocolloid (CuINC); specifically, an electrical discharge machine was used to prepare a CuINC under five sets of pulse width modulation (Ton–Toff) parameters, and ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry and a zetasizer were used to evaluate the most suitable parameter set. Copper wires were used as electrodes (copper content = 99.7%, diameter = 1 mm), and deionized water mixed with iodine was used as the dielectric fluid. The analysis results indicated that the CuINC prepared under Ton–Toff = 10–10 µs had absorbance of 1.8 and a zeta potential of − 31.9 mV. The resultant CuINC had the highest concentration and suspension stability; this indicated that Ton–Toff = 10–10 µs is the most suitable parameter combination for preparing a CuINC. X-ray diffraction revealed a complete CuI crystal structure. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that most of the CuI nanoparticles were smaller than 5 nm and that the nanoparticles were evenly dispersed. The electric-discharge-based production process employed in this study is rapid and simple, and the end products have favorable suspension power. The method is a safe, environmentally friendly, and rapid method of preparing CuINCs.