Characteristics of colloidal copper particles prepared by using polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyethylene glycol in chemical reduction method

Abstract

A simple chemical reduction method is used to prepare colloidal copper nanoparticles where polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) are used as stabiliser, size controller and capping agents. The main purpose of this paper is to report about the large improvement in replacing PEG by PVP in the reduction synthesis of copper nanoparticles. From the TEM results it was found that colloidal copper nanoparticles prepared by using PVP and PEG are well–dispersed. From the UV–vis results, surface plasmon peak is very stable over time at 561 nm whereas when using (PEG) the peak shifts from 561 to 572 nm. This comparison also shows that copper nanoparticles in the solution using (PVP) have a less dispersed size distribution while presenting an equivalent mean diameter. Then it is observed that the oxidation time of copper nanoparticles at room temperature for solution using (PVP) is tenfold that of (PEG) capped nanoparticles.