Preparation of Copper Nanoparticles by Pulsed Wire Discharge in Water

Abstract

Copper nanoparticles have been prepared by pulsed wire discharge (PWD) using copper wire in deionized water at various relative energy (K) from 0.8 to 5.5, which is ratio of the charged energy of capacitor in the electrical circuit to the vaporization energy of the wire. From the X-ray diffraction analysis of the prepared nanoparticles in deionized water at various K, the nanoparticles prepared at all conditions were identified as Cu and Cu2O. The Cu content in prepared nanoparticles was increased with the decrease in K, and changed from 77 to 95 [%]. Additionally, the deposited energy in the arc discharge after the wire heating was decreased with decreasing K. From these results, we considered that the Cu content was increased with decreasing the deposited energy in the arc discharge during particle formation.