Abstract
One-dimensional CuO nanocrystals with spindly structure were successfully synthesized using pulsed wire explosion technique in deionized water. By modulating the exploding medium temperature spherical Cu nanoparticles and one-dimensional CuO nanocrystals can be selectively synthesized. At low temperature (1 °C) the particle growth is governed by Ostwald ripening resulting in formation of equidimensional crystals (spherical). As the exploding temperature increases (60 °C), oriented aggregation in a preferential direction resulted in unique spindly nanostructure. A possible crystal growth mechanism for these nanostructures with various morphologies at different exploding temperature is proposed. Particle growth by Ostwald ripening or orientated aggregation is highly dependent on exploding medium temperature. This technique uses pulsed power, hence the energy consumption is low and it does not produce any process byproducts. This study will provide a mean by which a most energy efficient and eco-friendly synthesis of one-dimensional CuO nanocrystals can be realized.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by University of Malaya under FRGS Grant No. FP013/2010B. The authors would also like to thank ON Semiconductor management for their financial support in purchasing the PWE system for this research. We are grateful to the UM and UKM (CRIM) lab assistants who supported us in the FESEM, XRD, and TEM analysis.
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Krishnan, S., Haseeb, A.S.M.A. & Johan, M.R. Synthesis and growth kinetics of spindly CuO nanocrystals via pulsed wire explosion in liquid medium. J Nanopart Res 15, 1410 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-012-1410-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-012-1410-7