Fabrication of Copper Oxide Nanoboxes Containing a Platinum Nanocluster via an Optical and Galvanic Route

Abstract

Copper oxide hollow nanoboxes containing a platinum nanocluster have been fabricated in mild conditions at room temperature by dropping a laser-irradiated aqueous platinum colloidal solution onto a copper substrate. The irradiation of laser pulses at 1064 nm induces the ejection of photoelectrons from platinum nanoclusters suspended in water. The aqueous colloidal solution containing photooxidized platinum nanoclusters was then dropped onto a bulk copper substrate to form hollow (CuO)0.75(Cu2O)0.25 nanoboxes having an average edge size of 195 nm and an average wall thickness of 26 nm, and the resulting platinum nanoclusters, produced by galvanic reduction, remained inside the newly formed copper oxide nanoboxes.