Hydrothermal synthesis of new CuVO2 delafossite hexagonal nanoplates

Abstract

Copper vanadium oxides have a variety of compositions and crystal phases and are widely used as sintering aids in ceramics, sensor materials, photocatalysts, photoanodes, battery materials, and other fields. Herein, we present a new phase of copper-vanadium oxide, delafossite-type CuVO2, and its hydrothermal synthesis using tetradecylamine (TDA) as a modifier. This delafossite phase has not been reported previously and was identified by a combination of X-ray powder diffraction Rietveld refinement, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The multiple effects of TDA in the reaction are discussed in detail. The results show that TDA plays critical roles as a complexing agent, reducing agent, and capping ligand in the formation of the new delafossite CuVO2 nanoplates. The resulting monodisperse particles have a hexagonal nanoplate morphology with a size distribution ranging between 1 and 2 μm and a thickness of 40 nm. This study illustrates the usefulness of long-chain amines in the wet chemical synthesis of copper vanadate, especially for preparing new crystalline structures. Additional research on the physical and chemical properties and applications of delafossite CuVO2 nanoplates is strongly encouraged.