Abstract
Composite materials containing zero valent copper (ZVC) dispersed in the matrix of two commercially available strongly basic anion exchangers with a macroreticular (Amberlite IRA 900Cl) and gel-like (Amberlite IRA 402OH) structure were obtained. Cu0 particles appeared in the resin phase as the product of the reduction of the precursor, i.e., copper oxide(I) particles previously deposited in the two supporting materials. As a result of a one-step transformation of preformed Cu2O particles as templates conducted using green reductant ascorbic acid and under mild conditions, macroporous and gel-type hybrid products containing ZVC were obtained with a total copper content of 7.7 and 5.3 wt%, respectively. X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the successful transformation of the starting oxide particles into a metallic deposit. A scanning electron microscopy study showed that the morphology of the deposit is mainly influenced by the type of matrix exchanger. In turn, the drying steps were crucial to its porosity and mechanical resistance. Because both the shape and size of copper particles and the internal structure of the supporting solid materials can have a decisive impact on the potential applications of the obtained materials, the results presented here reveal a great possibility for the design and synthesis of functional nanocrystalline solids.
Highlights
The development of nanoscience and nanotechnology in the past two decades has opened up new areas for the use of copper in the form of ultrafine particles with specific chemical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties dependent mainly on their size and shape
Copper nanoparticles are susceptible to oxidation when exposed to air, so the synthesis of stable products requires the presence of stabilizers
In order to protect Cu nanoparticles (CuNPs) against their sticking and oxidation, surface-active agents, such as surfactants, dissolved polymers, and organic ligands, can be used in aqueous media as dispersants and surface modifiers to yield highly stable, well-dispersed particles [13,16,17]. Another promising strategy concerning the stability of CuNPs is their immobilization on supporting solid materials, both of natural origin and synthetic polymers [18,19,20,21,22,23]
Summary
The development of nanoscience and nanotechnology in the past two decades has opened up new areas for the use of copper in the form of ultrafine particles with specific chemical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties dependent mainly on their size and shape Because of their extremely small size, high surface energy, and large surface area/volume ratio, Cu nanoparticles (CuNPs) have different (e.g., physicochemical and biological) properties than those of their bulk metallic form [1,2,3]. Owing to their antimicrobial activity against a wide range of microorganisms, including multidrug-resistant organisms and fungi, CuNPs have been a strong focus of research on health-related processes [4,5]. Another promising strategy concerning the stability of CuNPs is their immobilization on supporting solid materials, both of natural origin (cellulose, cotton, paper, chitosan, carbon active) and synthetic polymers (zeolite, graphene oxide, cation exchangers) [18,19,20,21,22,23]
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