Hydrothermal Synthesis of Microscaled Cu@C Polyhedral Composites and Their Sensitivity to Convergent Electron Beams

• Published in: Langmuir 2009-06, Vol.25 (11), p.6363-6367
• Main Authors: Hao, Qin, Xu, Liqiang, Li, Guangda, Qian, Yitai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Materials: Nano-and Mesostructured Materials, Polymers, Gels, Liquid Crystals, Composites; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena; Surface physical chemistry
• ISSN: 0743-7463; 1520-5827
• DOI: 10.1021/la8041499

Copper microparticles (2−5 um) encapsulated in carbonaceous shell polyhedral composites were mildly prepared via a one-pot hydrothermal process using copper nitrate, glucose, and sodium citrate at 150 °C, in which the glucose was found to play reducer and graphite source roles during the formation of these core−shell-like composites. Thermal stability results indicated that their weights remain almost unchanged below 240 °C in ambient atmosphere. It is interesting that the copper microparticles could be partially released out and translated into monodisperse Cu nanoparticles around the initial composites under the convergent electron beams in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). This phenomenon is an appealing discovery, which might endow the Cu@C composite with new functions; for example, it might be applied as a sensitive detector for the leakage of electron beams or other substances for the sake of being a safeguard. In addition, the corresponding hollow carbonaceous polyhedra were also obtained after the acid treatment, which might be used as a template to fabricate other kinds of polyhedra.