Monoclinic CuO Research Articles

Investigation of CuO/ITO Photoelectrode Fabricated by PVD for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting and Hydrogen Evolution.

Hydrogen and renewable fuels were generated using cost-effective and efficient electrocatalysts for water splitting. In this work, a CuO-based photocathode is used for the water splitting to generate hydrogen energy by PVD technique. The XRD analysis reveals the deposition of CuO thin film on ITO substrates, which is monoclinic. The XRD and LSV analysis of CuO confirmed the type of semiconductor and observed to be P-type semiconductor. SEM study of CuO confirmed the shape, morphology to be a circular and regular shape. The grain size of deposited CuO thin film was found to be 18 nm. The absorption and transmission of CuO thin film were observed through UV spectroscopy analysis and were found to be better photocatalyst in visible range 415-425 nm. The transmittance of the prepared thin film was noted to be maximum 7.6% in the UV range (280-300 nm). The band gap was also measured employing the Tauc plot and found to be 2.98 eV, which is most favorable for water splitting application. FTIR study showed the stretching, vibration, and the functional group of the deposited CuO thin film; the broad band of stretching of Cu-O in monoclinic CuO was observed at the range of 500-700 cm-1, and further peaks were also noted at the range of 1500-1600 cm-1. The linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) of CuO thin film was calculated in the absence of solar spectra and the presence of solar spectra and observed to be enhanced in current under solar spectra. The solar light to hydrogen emission percentage (STH %) of CuO through LSV was observed to be 2.04% under solar spectra. The low Nyquist curve of blank ITO and CuO-coated ITO substrate via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis was observed, which confirmed the enhancement of EIS of CuO-coated ITO. The hydrogen generation rate was also calculated by electrochemical cell and observed to be 5325.21 mol g-1 for 6 h.

Photocatalysis, wettability and optical properties of N-doped Cu2O/CuO thin films for smart coating applications

Abstract Undoped and nitrogen (N)_doped Cu2O/CuO thin films were deposited via reactive DC magnetron sputtering. The deposition was carried out by sputtering the Cu targets under various Ar/N2/O2 gas flow ratios. The structural, optical, wettability, and photocatalytic performance of the deposited films were investigated. A simple cubic Cu2O crystallographic phase is observed for the undoped film, whereas mixed cubic Cu2O and monoclinic CuO phases (Cu2O/CuO) are observed for the N_doped films. EDAX revealed that as the N2 flow rate increased the amount of nitrogen incorporated into the film increased. The transmittance and reflectance are affected by the incorporation of nitrogen into the films. The transmittance values decreased with increasing N2 flow rate, whereas the reflectance values increased. Both the refractive index and extinction coefficient almost increased with increasing N2 flow rate. A noticeable optical band gap narrowing from 2.55 eV to 2.39 eV was detected upon increasing the N2 flow from 0.0 to 190 sccm. The photoluminescence spectrum of the undoped sample contains five distinct bands at 518, 612, 654, 714 and 825 nm. These five maxima are attributed to the radiative decay of bound and free excitons, and oxygen vacancies (VO) After nitrogen incorporation, the photoluminescence intensity decreases and then increases again with increasing N2 flow rate. A reduction in the water contact angle was observed with increasing N2 flow rate. Upon Vis-light illumination, the N_doped Cu2O/CuO films reached superhydrophilicity faster than the undoped film did. The photocatalytic performance of the deposited Cu2O/CuO films was strongly enhanced with a small amount of N doping. The deposited films are promising for self-cleaning and photocatalytic degradation of organic wastes.

Biosynthesis of TiO2/CuO and Its Application for the Photocatalytic Removal of the Methylene Blue Dye.

In this study, we successfully synthesized a TiO2/CuO nanocomposite using the aqueous extract of Impatiens tinctoria A.rich. leaf extract as a capping, reducing, and stabilizing agent for the first time in an environmentally friendly, low-cost, straightforward, and sustainable technique. Numerous characterization techniques such as ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis-DRS), photoluminescence (PL), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and high resolution TEM (HRTEM) were used to characterize the obtained TiO2/CuO nanocomposite. XRD verified that the TiO2/CuO nanocomposite has an average crystallite size of about 21 nm. The TEM result revealed an average particle size of 29 nm for the biosynthesized TiO2/CuO NC. The HRTEM analysis showed the presence of polycrystalline structures with the predominant lattice fringes 0.352 and 0.19 which were attributed to anatase phase TiO2 in the crystal plane of (101) and (200), respectively. The lattice fringes for monoclinic CuO were observed with values of 0.213 and 0.252 for the lattice planes of (111) and (111̅), respectively. The photoluminescence spectroscopic analysis revealed that the TiO2/CuO NC showed the lowest intensity compared to the pristine TiO2 and CuO indicating the reduction of exciton recombination in the case of the TiO2/CuO NC. The BET analysis showcased the formation of mesoporous materials with a surface area of 87.5 m2/g. The photocatalytic degradation performance of the biosynthesized TiO2, CuO, and TiO2/CuO nanomaterials against the potentially harmful MB dye was tested using the light source of a 150 tungsten-halogen lamp with a wavelength range of 360-2800 nm. The factors affecting photodegradation efficiencies like catalyst dose (20 mg), dye concentration(15 ppm), pH (9), and reaction time (90 min) were optimized for the degradation of the MB dye. The TiO2/CuO catalyst showed the highest degradation efficiency of 99% under the optimized conditions. The degradation rate of the MB dye in the presence of the TiO2/CuO NC was evaluated and found to be fitted to the pseudo-first-order kinetics with a rate constant of 0.03 min-1. The reusability test of the TiO2/CuO catalyst showed its good stability.

Synthesis of undoped and mixed binary transition metals (Ni-Co)-doped cupric oxide nanostructures: Structural characteristics, optical behavior, and biological activity

In this work, co-precipitation-assisted undoped and various concentrations (1%, 3%, and 5%) Ni-Co-doped CuO nanostructures have been synthesized to test the biomedical applications. The structure, optical band gap, zone of inhibition width, hemocompatibility, and free radical scavenging activity of the CuO are significantly varied by introducing various concentrations of co-dopants compared to the undoped CuO. The single phase of monoclinic and heterogeneous crystal systems (monoclinic CuO, hexagonal Co, cubic NiO, and Co3O4) for undoped CuO and all Ni-Co-doped CuO samples was identified by the powder XRD tools. Microstructural properties were tuned in each dopant concentration of Ni-Co in the CuO, which confirmed through FE-SEM analysis. Heterogeneous structures (spherical particles/sheet-like particles) were noticed in the HR-TEM studies of 5% Ni-Co-doped CuO nanostructures. Synthesized compounds related to the elements (Cu, O, Co, and Ni) were traced with the help of the EDX and XPS study. The photoabsorption spectra and optical band gap values of the undoped CuO and co-doped CuO samples were significantly varied. Antimicrobial studies of the undoped CuO and Ni-Co co-doped CuO against E. coli and S. mutans bacterial strains were performed, and their outcomes of the zone of inhibition (ZOI) values have been discussed in detail. The synthesized undoped and various concentrations of CuO particles were taken to investigate their compatibility via hemolytic study. Hemolysis results showed that both the synthesized undoped CuO and Ni-Co doped CuO nanostructures are highly hemocompatible. In addition, compatibility natures are varied with increasing concentrations from 1% to 5% Ni-Co dopant in the CuO samples. The DPPH assay was employed to evaluate the antioxidant properties of the synthesized particles by determining their free radical scavenging (FRS) activity percentages. It was observed that Ni-Co-doped CuO exhibited better antioxidant properties than undoped CuO due to the higher FRS percentage.

Bismuth doping for enhanced physical and electrochemical properties of CuO–ZnO thin films for complete degradation of Rifampicin and other antibiotics alongside organic dyes

In the current Study, undoped and bismuth doped CuO + ZnO coupled oxide thin films were meticulously deposited on glass substrates utilizing the spray pyrolysis technique. The effect of bismuth doping level in the structural, morphological, optical, electrical and electrochemical properties of these thin films were systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns unequivocally confirmed the polycrystalline nature of the films, showcasing a combination of monoclinic CuO and hexagonal wurtzite ZnO phases. Furthermore, at a doping level of 8 %, the presence of the bismuth phase was observed, indicating its incorporation into the CuO–ZnO matrix. As the bismuth doping level increased, we observed a noticeable improvement in crystallinity and grain size. The distinctive characteristics of the developed thin films underscored a discernible enhancement in physical and electrochemical properties with the increase of bismuth doping level. Subsequently, The 8 % bismuth-doped CuO–ZnO thin films exhibit remarkable efficiency in degrading pharmaceutical compounds. Specifically, within a mere 2-h timeframe, these films demonstrate an exceptional degradation efficiency of 99 % towards Rifampicin, a widely used antibiotic. Moreover, their efficacy extends to other pharmaceutical pollutants, showcasing a significant degradation of 77 % for Ampicillin, an antibiotic commonly used to treat bacterial infections, and an even more substantial degradation of 90 % for Rhodamine B, a prominent dye compound. This underscores the promising potential of 8 % bismuth-doped CuO–ZnO thin films in addressing environmental and health-related challenges associated with pharmaceutical contaminants.

Bioinspired copper oxide nanocomposites: harnessing plant extracts for enhanced photocatalytic performance.

This study focuses on developing copper oxide-based nanocomposites using plant extracts for photocatalytic applications. Curcuma amada leaf and Alysicarpus vaginalis leaf extracts were utilized alongside recycled copper precursors to synthesize photocatalysts via a green synthesis approach. Structural characterization through X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of monoclinic CuO with reduced crystallite sizes due to plant extract incorporation. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy identified additional functional groups from the plant extracts, enhancing the material's properties. UV-Vis spectroscopy demonstrated increased light absorption and narrowed bandgaps in the nanocomposites, crucial for efficient photocatalysis under visible light. Morphological studies using FESEM revealed unique leaf-like structures in nanocomposites, indicative of the plant extract's influence on morphology. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue, rhodamine B, Congo red, and reactive blue 171 dyes showed enhanced performance of plant extract-modified CuO compared to without plant extract mediated CuO, attributed to improved charge carrier separation and extended lifetime. The effects of pH, catalyst dosage, and dye concentration on degradation efficiency were systematically investigated, highlighting optimal conditions for each dye type. Radical scavenger studies confirmed the roles of holes and hydroxyl radicals in the degradation process. Kinetic analysis revealed pseudo-second-order kinetics for dye degradation, underscoring the effectiveness of the nanocomposites. Overall, this research provides insights into sustainable photocatalytic materials using plant extracts and recycled copper, showcasing their potential for environmental remediation applications.

Carbon fiber fabrics functionalized with monoclinic CuO nanostructures using seed-assisted hydrothermal growth treatment

The woven carbon fibers (WCF) fabrics were functionalized by growing copper-oxide (CuO) nanostructures using Seed-assisted hydrothermal technique. The effective growth of CuO on surface hydrolyzed WCF samples were achieved by seeding followed by growth treatment in the prepared precursor solution. The impact of hydrothermal process parameters such as number of seeding cycles, duration of growth treatment and molar concentration of growth solution were studied by performing 96 set of experiments with three repetitions. In this work detailed analysis of structural, morphological, and elemental attributes of the CuO-coated WCF fabrics samples have been done. The WCF fabrics were uniformly coated with monoclinic CuO nanostructures having nanopellets, nanoflakes, nanowires, and nanoflowers morphologies. Different characterization techniques such as field emission scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy and thermo-gravimetric analyzer were used to study different attributes of CuO-modified WCF samples. The number of seeding treatments and the length of growth treatment had a significant impact on growth of CuO nanostructures on WCF. The detailed analysis exhibits that the developed CuO-modified WCF samples may enhance interfacial surface area, bonding capacity and reduce void content by allowing nanostructures to cross-link together and with polymer matrix while fabricating composite materials.

Sonochemical synthesis of S-scheme CuO/CeO2 heterojunction for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B dye under solar radiations

CeO2 is renowned photocatalyst with 2.8 eV band gap energy and exceptional optical features. However, the slow charge transportation and the fast recombination of the electron-hole pair hindered the photocatalytic efficiency. In this pioneering research, S-scheme CuO/CeO2 heterojunctions were engineered sonochemically with rational compositions of CeO2 and CuO nanoparticles for enhanced the photocatalytic efficiency of CeO2 in destructing rhodamine B dye under full solar radiations. Diffuse reflectance spectrum [DRS], photoluminescence [PL], high resolution transmission electron microscope [HRTEM], selected area electron diffraction [SAED], N2-adsorption-desorption isotherm, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy [XPS] and X-ray diffraction [XRD] investigated the physicochemical properties of CuO/CeO2 heterojunction. Monoclinic CuO nanoparticles of 8 nm size are facilely incorporated in cubic CeO2 crystallites of 27.3 nm through substitution of Ce4+ by Cu2+ ions which ascribed to smaller ionic radii of Cu2+ compared with Ce4+ and Ce3+ ions. Homogeneous distribution of CuO nanoparticles on CeO2 surface was further investigated by SEM and TEM analysis. HRTEM, XRD, SAED and XPS analysis recorded the co-existence of crystalline peaks of CeO2 and CuO implying the successful construction of CuO/CeO2 heterojunction. The depression in the surface area of CeO2 from 91.4 to 83.6 m2/g with incorporating 5 wt % of CuO revealed the deposition of CuO on CeO2 surface. XPS analysis implied the existence of Ce3+ and oxygen vacancies that provide more adsorption sites for oxygen, which are beneficial for enhancing the catalytic performance of catalysts. CuO nanoparticles with 1.3 eV band energy enhanced the visible light absorbability of the heterojunctions in deep visible region for broading the photocatalytic response. Significant reduction in photoluminescence signals intensity by 60 % with incorporation 5 wt % of CuO revealed the favorable reduction in the rate of electron-hole recombination. In particular, CeCu5 containing 5 wt % CuO expelled 96 % of RhB dye within 6-h under solar simulator compared with 13 % removal on pristine CeO2 and CuO surface. Hot radicals and positive holes degraded RhB dye molecules on the heterojunction surface as elucidated from scavenger experiments and PL analysis of terephthalic acid. The exceptional removal of RhB dye under solar radiation was ascribed to the alignment in the band structure of CeO2 and CuO nanoparticles and the successful production of an efficient S-scheme heterojunction with strong redox potential and better electron transportation and separation.

Standardizing the optimal photo-diode performance of CuO nanostructures through various morphological patterns

The CuO nanocrystals were prepared using a simple surfactant-assisted co-precipitation technique then addition of anionic surfactants such as Hexamine (HEX), Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone (PVP), Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) and Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) leads to the formation of CuO nanostructures on the surface of spherical particles. Samples were characterized via X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and I-V characteristics. According to various spectroscopic results, all surfactant decorated CuO nanocrystal have a monoclinic crystal structure. Then the average grain size of CuO samples supported by HEX, PVA, PVP and CTAB is approximately 72 nm. The properties of surfactants have been shown to affect size and shape. In addition, the FT-IR spectra of all samples show three similar vibration modes of CuO, this indicates the presence of a monoclinic CuO crystal structure. According to absorbance data, the quantum confinement effect caused by the use of surfactant significantly affects the optical bandgap value, ranging from 3.00 to 2.59 eV. Current-voltage characteristics [I-V] unveil the photodiode parameters of prepared diode are evaluated in the dark and light condition. In this case, the barrier height (ΦB) is 0.80 eV and the ideal value for the diode (n) is 2.05, which is more suitable for photodiode applications.

The development and application of Cu@TiO2@SAPO-34 as better photocatalyst towards degradation of various pollutants

The study developed a novel Cu@TiO2@SAPO-34 nanocomposite for photocatalytic mortification of organic pollutants using modified hydrothermal synthesis. The material was characterized using XRD, BET, XPS, SEM, TEM, UV–vis, and Photoluminescence spectroscopy, confirming high pollutant absorption and photocatalytic capability. The structural analysis identified the emergence of monoclinic CuO and pure anatase phase TiO2, with ligands matching the formation of SAPO-34 at various planes of 2theta degrees. Also, species of Cu-SAPO-34 (35.43 and 65.88°) and TiO2-SAPO-34 (25.56°) were identified. The BET analysis indicated a narrow pore size distribution of 5.59 nm for Cu@TiO2@SAPO-34, with a high surface area to volume ratio of 145.7868 m2. g−1. The optical property analysis revealed that TiO2 exhibited light absorption mainly in the visible region, while Cu@TiO2@SAPO-34 exhibited early adsorption in the ultraviolet region and extended to the visible regions. This was accompanied by a concomitant decrease in band gap energy from 3.09 eV for TiO2 to 2.61 eV for Cu@TiO2@SAPO-34. The Photodegradation experiment demonstrated that TiO2 nanoparticles achieved 83 % degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye solution after 120 minutes under ultraviolet irradiation, while the Cu@TiO2@SAPO-34 composite achieved 98 % within 30 minutes. The novel nanocomposite material was further tested for real wastewater treatment, self-cleaning of the coated film, and nature of wettability, which all confirmed that the novel Cu@TiO2@SAPO-34 composite is superhydrophilic and a better photocatalyst for degrading organic contaminants. The study details the Photodegradation reaction mechanism for the Cu@TiO2@SAPO-34 nanocomposite, comparing it to TiO2 under UV–vis irradiation, and proposes a chabazite-related structure using Biovia Materials Studio 2020.

Mycofabrication of bimetal oxide nanoparticles (CuO/TiO2) using the endophytic fungus Trichoderma virens: Material properties and microbiocidal effects against bacterial pathogens

Bimetallic oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have gained the interest of researchers owing to the synergistic mechanism of action by the elements present. Mycosynthesis of nanostructures is a promising, facile, and an environmentally friendly approach. In the present study, CuO/TiO2 NPs were produced using the cell-free filtrate of the endophytic fungus Trichoderma virens. The reaction of the fungal filtrate with the two metal salts, CuSO4.5H2O and TiO2, resulted in the mycosynthesis of the CuO/TiO2 NPs. The prepared bimetal oxide NPs were characterized using XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, EDX, DLS, zeta potential analysis, XPS, Raman scattering, FESEM, and HRTEM. The mycosynthesized CuO/TiO2 NPs exhibited diffraction peaks characteristic of the monoclinic CuO and tetragonal rutile TiO2 crystal planes. Homogeneity and stability were observed as a result of the biological moieties present in the fungal filtrate, which capped the CuO/TiO2 NPs. The prepared CuO/TiO2 NPs were distributed as flake/plate-like and quasi-spherical/nanorod CuO and TiO2 NPs, respectively. A broad-spectrum antibacterial effect was recorded, with zones of inhibition as follows: foodborne pathogens Escherichia coli (14.34 mm), Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (11.32 mm), and Staphylococcus aureus (9.63 mm); and phytopathogenic bacteria involving Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm, 12.16 mm), C. michiganensis subsp. capsici (Cmc, 11.26 mm), wild type and streptomycin-resistant Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc, 11.06 and 12.37 mm, respectively), and wild type and streptomycin-resistant Xanthomonas citri pv citri (Xcc, 12.48 and 12.69 mm, respectively). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of the CuO/TiO2 NPs were determined using the broth microdilution assay. NP-treated bacterial cells at sub-MICs had rough surfaces with membrane defects and exhibited shrinkage, reduction of cell edges, cracks, and fractures on their surfaces. This study provides insights into the potential of the mycosynthesized CuO/TiO2 NPs as alternative nano-antimicrobial agents, which could be employed for future biomedical, agricultural, and pharmaceutical applications.

Evaluation of structural parameters of monoclinic nanocrystalline CuO and study of sunlight-driven photocatalytic dye degradation, antimicrobial and antioxidant potential

Highly pure, crystalline and spherical-shaped Copper oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized via facile chemical coprecipitation. Various models including the Scherrer, Monshi-Scherrer, Williamson-Hall, Size-Strain Plot and Halder-Wagner method have been applied to study the crystal structure characteristics. The lattice parameters associated with the monoclinic crystal lattice of CuO NPs were estimated to be a = 4.69 Å, b = 3.41 Å, c = 5.14 Å and β = 99.87(degree), unit cell volume V = 81.35Å3 and cell density dx = 6.49 g/cm3. The photocatalytic dye degradation proficiency at 20 mg/l CuO concentration and 120 min sunlight exposure results the order of percentage dye degradation Malachite Green (88.4%) > Crystal Violet (70.8%) > Eosin Yellow (70.2%) > Methylene Blue (54.08%) dyes. The antimicrobial activity assessment was done against the broad-spectrum pathogenic microbes unveiled the exceptional microbial controlling capability of CuO NPs. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity test demonstrated the potential free radical scavenging activity of CuO NPs with an IC50 value of 47.733 µg/ml. Highlights Synthesis of pure and spherical shaped nanocrystalline CuO was done by using low cost and facile chemical coprecipitation method. XRD, FTIR, FESEM, EDX, UV-Vis, and Raman spectroscopic techniques were used for characterization purpose. The structural and crystallographic parameters of monoclinic crystal structure of CuO NPs were evaluated successfully. The photocatalytic performance of CuO NPs follow the percentage dye degradation order as MG (88.4%) > CV (70.8%) > EY (70.20%) > MB (54.08%) after 120 minutes of sunlight exposure. CuO NPs exhibit promising antifungal activity against COVID-19 associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CAPA) causing pathogenic fung. CuO NPs show potential DPPH free radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 47.733 µg/ml.

Copper oxide-incorporated pillared clay granular nanocomposite for efficient single and binary, batch and fixed bed column adsorption of levofloxacin and crystal violet

This study investigates single and binary removal of levofloxacin (LV) and crystal violet (CV) using granular CuO-silica pillared clay (G-CuO-SPC) in batch and continuous setups. Silica pillared clay (SPC) synthesized by sol–gel with SiO2 agents and cationic surfactants exhibited a 15-fold increase in surface area after column formation. CuO nanoparticles were incorporated into SPC by direct thermal decomposition, and alginate biopolymer facilitated granulation. Characterization techniques (XRD, N2 adsorption–desorption, FTIR, FESEM and EDS-mapping) confirmed uniformly-dispersed monoclinic CuO nanoparticles in G-CuO-SPC. LV adsorption peaked at pH:5–6, while CV adsorption was almost pH-independent. Sips isotherm modeling revealed maximum capacities for LV (705.2–731.1 mg/g) and CV (914.4–992.4 mg/g) at 25-55℃, with capacities decreasing in binary systems. LV and CV adsorption on G-CuO-SPC was spontaneous, exothermic, and occurred via mechanisms, including electrostatic interaction, van der Waals forces, hydrogen-bonding, and n-π interaction. Fixed-bed analysis favored the Yan model, indicating multilayer adsorption without a classical S-shaped profile.

Effect of Rapid Thermal Annealing on CuO Nanoparticles

Abstract This work is a comparative study of the effect of two different annealing methods on copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticle properties obtained previously by direct precipitation method. The prepared samples were annealed in air at various temperatures (300, 400, 500°C) for 1 hour. Then they were characterized by employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Visible, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The main results revealed an increase in the grain size in both methods as the annealing temperature increases. It reaches 30.93 nm in RTA and 26.75 nm in STA at 500°C. XRD spectra showed, in the case of RTA at 500 °C, a significant decrease in the intensity corresponding to the (002) and (111) orientations. This result indicated that beyond 400 °C, one hour of RTA is not suitable for enhancing CuO nanoparticle crystallinity compared to STA. The optical analysis demonstrated that the energy of the optical band gap in STA is higher than that in RTA. It reaches 2,88 eV at 500°C using RTA which is close to the gap value of CuO in the range of 1.8–2.8 eV. FT-IR results showed, for both methods, the presence of characteristic peaks of the Cu-O bonds in the monoclinic CuO structure without any trace of Cu2O structure. Nevertheless, samples exposed to RTA for one hour are more susceptible to absorbing species of C=O bond (C=O bond is due to the atmospheric CO2 absorption and the presence of organic impurities from the synthesis process) than those of STA. Hence, RTA at 500 °C is far from producing CuO nanoparticles with preferred characteristics; it needs further research to examine the effect of higher temperature by controlling the annealing time.

Highly oriented epitaxial Cu2O (011) thin film grown on MgO (001) substrate by dynamic aurora PLD method

The epitaxial Cu2O films are grown on MgO (001) substrates by the dynamic aurora pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method. The structure and epitaxial growth of the as-prepared thin films at different substrate temperatures (25 °C to 600 °C) were investigated. The thin film prepared at room temperature (RT, 25 °C) exhibits (111) plane of monoclinic CuO phase with poor crystallinity. The thin films deposited at 200 °C to 600 °C show single-phase cubic Cu2O with good crystallinity. The highly oriented epitaxial Cu2O thin film on the MgO substrate is achieved at low temperatures of 200 °C by applying an induced electromagnetic field during thin film growth. The quality and crystallinity of epitaxial Cu2O thin films remarkably improved with increasing temperature from 200 °C to 600 °C and all these thin films exhibited an out-of-plane epitaxial relationship of Cu2O (011) ‖ MgO (001). The CuO thin film grown on MgO substrate at RT shows a single domain structure, as observed by RHEED. In constrast, Cu2O films grown at 200 °C to 600 °C exhibit two different kinds of domain structure with corresponding in-plane epitaxial relationship of Cu2O [100] ‖ MgO [110] and Cu2O [100] ‖ MgO [11¯0]. This report reveals, for the first time, the feasibility of epitaxial growth of highly oriented Cu2O (011) thin film achieved at the low temperature of 200 °C by the dynamic aurora PLD method. The quality of epitaxial Cu2O (011) is significantly enhanced with increasing substrate temperature from 200 °C to 600 °C.

Some characteristics of Cu/Cu2O/CuO nanostructure heterojunctions and their applications in hydrogen generation from seawater: effect of surface roughening

Cu/Cu2O/CuO heterojunction were synthesized, using thermal oxidation under the flow of argon and oxygen gas mixture, as efficient photoelectrode for hydrogen generation. The Cu/Cu2O/CuO heterojunction were synthesized using un-roughed and roughed Cu foils. The resulting heterojunction samples were characterized using various techniques. The evaluated oxide layer (Cu2O/CuO) thicknesses for un-roughed and roughed samples are 4.2 and 8.5 μm, respectively. XRD revealed that the oxide layer is a mix cubic Cu2O and monoclinic CuO crystalline phases with higher CuO ratio in the roughed sample. The surface morphology of the un-roughed sample is a porous surface that consisting of nanoflakes whereas surface morphology of the roughed sample is randomly oriented nanowires. The Cu/Cu2O/CuO nanostructured surface is superhydrophilic, with water contact angles of 11.12 and 0° for un-roughed and roughed samples, respectively. The roughed sample has higher absorbance over the entire studied wavelength range. The obtained values of the optical band gap for un-roughed and roughed samples are 2.48 and 2.39 eV, respectively. The photocurrent density of the roughed photoelectrode is much greater than that of un-roughed photoelectrode. The roughed photoelectrode has a photocurrent density of—0.151 mA cm−2 at—0.85 V and a photoconversion efficiency of 0.55% when illuminating with 340 nm light. This work offers a promised Cu/Cu2O/CuO photoelectrode for hydrogen generation from seawater.

Co-sputtered CuO/TiO2 coatings with varying copper content deposited on Ti6Al4V alloy

In this study, mosaic target material of titanium (Ti) and copper (Cu) was used to deposit CuO/TiO2 coatings on Ti6Al4V alloy. The aim was to examine the change in composition, structure and adhesion of the deposited films on titanium alloy when varying the titanium/copper (20:1, 41:1, 179:1, 418:1 and 837:1) ratio of the target material. The coatings were obtained by sputtering in a glow-discharge in a pure O2 atmosphere for a deposition time of 240 min. All coatings showed homogenous Cu distribution and the film thickness decreased with the reduction of Cu content in the composite target. Cu content in the coatings followed a power function of decrease with reduction of Ti-Cu content in the target while the increase of Ti showed logarithmic dependence. In all coatings, anatase and rutile TiO2 phases were detected whereas Cu atoms participated only in the formation of monoclinic CuO. TiO2-rich coatings demonstrated better adhesion to the Ti6Al4V alloy, whereas the critical loads of CuO-rich films were dependent on coating thickness.

DFT + U investigation on high pressure properties of monoclinic CuO

This contribution demonstrates density functional theory calculations on the optoelectronic properties of monoclinic CuO under high pressures up to 15 GPa. In this account, the experimentally measured indirect band gap energy value of 1.41 eV has theoretically been predicted by tuning the Hubbard parameter ( U) values for the partial electronic states. The values of the Hubbard parameter correspond to UCu-3 d = 8 eV and UO-2 p = 4.5 eV. The electronic and optical characteristics were examined under applied pressure and the results reveal development in the band gap values with increasing pressure from 1.41 to 2.01 eV. Total and projected density of states for the adopted pressures have been provided and displayed that the major contribution in the valance and conduction bands comes from O-2 p and Cu-3 d electronic states, respectively. The plotted reflectivity data suggest high optical reflectivity magnitudes relatively in the ultraviolet area. The investigated systems under variant pressures manifest rather an excellent absorption coefficient in the ultraviolet area, pushing them to be employed in solar cell technologies. Our analyzed results of the wavelength-dependent electrical conductivity of the investigated materials confirm the absorptivity behavior in the ultraviolet and small part of visible region of electromagnetic waves (EMW). Finally and most importantly, our obtained results of loss functions for the entire surveyed systems reveal a slight energy loss in a range of EMW, including ultraviolet and visible regions.

Copper Precursor Salt‐Dependent Antimicrobial Activity of Graphite Oxide Composites Against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus Aureus: Synthesis and Characterization

Graphite oxide (GrO) is doped with Cu(NO3)2 (CuN/GrO) and CuSO4 (CuS/GrO). Face‐centered cubic Cu, monoclinic CuO, and cubic Cu2O mixed crystalline phases are observed. The ID/IG ratio on average is 1.0 for all composites, associated with similar structural disorders and defects. CuN/GrO and CuS/GrO composites increase the C:O ratio by 30% compared to GrO. In Cu(NO3)2‐ and CuSO4‐doped GrO composites, the copper particle dispersion is on the GrO surface and GrO edges, respectively. By agarwell diffusion assay, the CuN/GrO composite presents only inhibition against the Staphylococcus aureus microorganism at 10 mg mL−1 per well. However, using the CuS/GrO composite, the minimum inhibitory concentration is 5 mg mL−1 per well against Escherichia coli and S. aureus microorganisms. In general, the copper precursor salt influences the copper particle localization in the GrO matrix in a different way, modulating the antimicrobial behavior. In this way, it is possible to establish a possible electrostatic adsorption caused by the Cu+ or Cu2+ ions and the negative charges of the bacterial cell membrane, where the adsorption and mass diffusion mechanisms between charged composites and Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative microorganisms are affected by the copper particle arrangement in the composites.

Co3O4-CuO-ZrO2 nanocomposite: Optical, spectral, morphological, structural and antibacterial studies

In this research, a tri-phase nanocomposite of Co3O4-CuO-ZrO2 was synthesized using the co-precipitation technique. The physical characteristics of the fabricated nanocomposites were analyzed through various analytical techniques including FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and UV–visible spectroscopy. The XRD analysis underscored the formation of a nanocomposite consisting of cubic Co3O4, monoclinic ZrO2, and monoclinic CuO phases. The crystallite size (D) was determined using Scherrer's formula. Additionally, EDX analysis confirmed the intended elemental composition.The antibacterial activity results indicated a weak effect on both positive and negative bacteria. Furthermore, the energy bandgap of the Co3O4-CuO-ZrO2 nanocomposite was calculated to be 2.67 eV based on UV–visible spectroscopy. These findings suggest that the Co3O4-CuO-ZrO2 nanocomposite possesses exceptional properties, positioning it as a promising material for various optoelectronic applications.