Fabrication of hollow metal oxide nanocrystals by etching cuprous oxide with metal(II) ions: approach to the essential driving force.

Hollow metal oxide nanocrystals were prepared by etching cuprous oxide with metal ions and were applied as photoelectrodes. As a hard template, polyvinylpyrrolidone stabilized cuprous oxide (PVP-Cu2O) and non-stabilized cuprous oxide (nPVP-Cu2O) were synthesized by a precipitation method. Hollow iron oxide and cobalt oxide nanocrystals with a truncated octahedral morphology were fabricated by an etching reaction with transition metal(II) ions (Fe(2+) or Co(2+)). In the etching reaction process, a cationic exchange reaction occurs between the divalent metal ion and Cu(+) due to the higher Lewis acidity. Facet selective etching of cuprous oxide has been observed during the ionic exchange reaction of Cu(+) and O(2-) ions in PVP-Cu2O complexes with transition metal(II) ions (Fe(2+) or Co(2+)) at the surface of a (110) facet. Amorphous states of hollow metal oxide products were annealed to form α-Fe2O3 (hematite) and Co3O4 and their crystal structure was examined with X-ray diffraction and HR-TEM. The optical absorption behavior of semiconductor nanocrystals was measured with UV-vis spectroscopy to define band gap energy. The hollow hematite structure has a 2.08 eV band gap and Co3O4 (Co(II,III) oxide) has a 1.80 eV indirect band gap. Using these hollow nanocrystals, a metal oxide monolayer film was fabricated with a secondary growth approach and was studied for its photocatalytic properties.

Copper nanoparticles incorporated with conducting polymer: effects of copper concentration and surfactants on the stability and conductivity.

Copper nanoparticles are prepared in aqueous solution by reducing copper ions with hydrazine hydrate in the presence of cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and polyvinylpyrrolydone (PVP) as stabilizers. With only CTAB was used as stabilizer, copper nanoparticles are aggregated and partially oxidized to Cu(2)O. When both PVP and CTAB were used, dispersed copper nanoparticles with 56 nm diameter were obtained. Copper nanoparticles are simply mixed with poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS) in aqueous solution to form conducting composite. The effect of copper weight percent and surfactants on the conductivity and stability of the composite has been investigated.