Microstructure Changes of Copper Nano Particles via Polymer Solution and Reduction Firing Processes.

Abstract

Cu nano particles were fabricated at a very low temperature via polymer solution and reduction firing processes using a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and Ar-4%H2 gas mixture. In the process, copper nitrate and 5 wt% PVA solution were dissolved in D.I. water and the organic-inorganic precursor sols were dried to porous gels. The precursor gels were calcined in an air atmosphere, and then refired at 250 degrees C-300 degrees C under an Ar-4%H2 atmosphere for the reduction of CuO. The morphology of precursor gels and CuO and Cu powders was strongly dependent on the PVA content, and the as- calcined CuO readily deoxidized to Cu with minimal residual carbon. The polymer also contributed to an atomic-scale copper cation distribution, which resulted in nano-sized CuO and Cu powders. The Cu powder synthesized with PVA content in a 4:1 ratio showed a crystallite size of about 20 nm or less. In this paper, the microstructure changes of Cu nano particles at each set of processing conditions were examined by SEM and TEM observations.