Synthesis of copper oxide (CuO) via coprecipitation method: Tailoring structural and optical properties of CuO nanoparticles for optoelectronic device applications

Abstract

Oxide-based nanoparticles have been studied extensively due to their unique optical and passivation properties, which are significantly distinct from those of bulk materials. The present study aimed to synthesize copper oxide nanoparticles through the co-precipitation method. The adequate substitution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) into CuO is analyzed by different characterizations, i.e., X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–visible), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and EDX. The X-ray diffraction spectra indicate that the prepared copper oxide nanoparticles were crystalline, nano-sized, and highly pure. The SEM micrographs showed that nanoparticles were spherical at lower contents of NaOH, while at higher contents, agglomeration of nanoparticles occurs, and the grain size changes. The decreased optical bandgap of the nanoparticles was observed due to different concentrations of sodium hydroxide. The crystalline size and strain values were also determined through the Williamson-Hall method. The compressive micro-stain in CuO materials confirms the negative slope value of the line fit in the W–H Plot. From this study, we concluded that synthesized CuO NPs have the potential to combine CuO materials with antireflecting films for improved optical performance in optoelectronic devices, precisely current density properties.