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Synthesis and growth kinetics of spindly CuO nanocrystals
via pulsed wire explosion in liquid medium
Shutesh Krishnan • A. S. M. A. Haseeb •
Mohd Rafie Johan
One-dimensional nanocrystals have attracted research
interest with regards to their potential advantages in
applications such as electronic, photonic, optoelectric,
and nanodevices (Wang et al. 2011; Guo and Wang
2011; Li et al. 2012). The ability to control the shape
and morphology can strongly influence the overall
properties of the nanostructure. For instance, CuO
nanostructures have been successfully used as anodes
in lithium ion battery for its high electrochemical
capacity (Liu et al. 2011; Seo et al. 2011). Onedimensional
CuO nanostructures also have great
potential in high performance gas sensors (Zhang
et al. 2006a) and in electronic applications for
its photoconductive properties (Chen et al. 2003;
Rahnama and Gharagozlou 2012). CuO is also being
researched as essential element for several high-Tc
superconductors (Jarlborg 2007). In recent years many
successful efforts have been made to synthesize onedimensional
CuO nanocrystals via chemical reduction
methods. For example, Dong et al. (2011) reported
solution based hydrothermal synthesis to produce spindly CuO nanocrystals using hydrothermal decomposition
method. Zhang et al. (2006b) produced
shuttle-like CuO nanocrystals using surfactant-assisted
hydrothermal route. Zhu et al. (2008) synthesized
needle-shaped nanocrystals using solution phase synthesis
at temperature as low as 100 _C and without
using any surfactant. Cuprous oxide nanowires with a
diameter of 20 nm and up to 5 lm length produced by
polyol method were also reported (Orel et al. 2007;
Lo et al. 2011). Other recently reported size controllable
CuO nanostructures synthesis methods include laser
ablation (Suzuki et al. 2012) and electrochemical route
(Pandey et al. 2012).
In this paper we present the preparation of onedimensional
spindly CuO nanocrystals using a simple
and convenient pulsedwire explosion (PWE)method in
deionized (DI) water. A potential particle growth
mechanism for this unique morphology is also discussed.
To our best knowledge this is the first time onedimensional
nanocrystals synthesis using PWEin liquid
medium using our method and the associated crystal
growth mechanism is being reported. Previously we
have published a paper on synthesis and application of
ultrafine pure Cu nanoparticles for high power metal
oxide semiconductor (MOSFET) applications using this
technique (Krishnan et al. 2012). Though numerous
studies have been conducted on the synthesis ofmetallic
nanoparticles by the PWE method in liquid medium
(Murai et al. 2005; Kinemuchi et al. 2003; Tokoi et al.
2008; Qing et al. 2011; Ha and Cho 2010), these studies
were mainly focused on synthesis and characterization
of spherical nanoparticles. A detail particle growth
mechanism of one-dimensional nanostructures using
explosion method in liquid medium has never been
reported. In our present researchCuO nanocrystals were
synthesized through intensive insertion of high voltage
and large electric current (more than 104–105 V,
1010 A/m2) for a short time(fewns to ls) to aCuwire in
DI water. In this study, we demonstrated the ability to
synthesize nanoparticles with various physical structures
and chemical nature by onlymodulating the exploding
medium temperature. Since this technique uses
pulsed power, the energy consumption is low and
the exploding medium is DI water, so it does not produce
any byproducts as in chemical synthesis routes.
Hence this will be the most environmental friendly
synthesis for mass production of one-dimensional CuO
nanocrystals.
Full text is available at :
http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs11051-012-1410-7.pdf
