Synthesis of CuO nanostructures through an economical and low-environmental-impact process using anodic aluminum oxide templates
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26507/paper.4619Keywords:
nanomaterials, SEM, AAO, Nanotecnology, XRD, CuO, Nanoestructures, AnodizadeAbstract
The study of copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures has attracted attention in recent years due to their potential applications in sensors, thermoelectric energy production, and water purification, among others. Previous research has highlighted various synthesis methods for these nanostructures, mainly through the use of porous templates, such as porous anodic alumina (AAO). A review of traditional methods for synthesizing these materials identified three main issues in the conventional process: high contamination due to the use of strong acids (such as sulfuric and oxalic acid), the need for sophisticated systems to maintain the temperature near 0°C, and the high cost associated with the use of raw materials (high-purity aluminum as the anode) and the cathode of the electrochemical cell (titanium or its alloys).
To reduce the environmental impact and costs of synthesizing these nanostructures, this study proposes the use of a weak acid (phosphoric acid), the application of a pulsed voltage to operate at room temperature, and commercial aluminum instead of high-purity aluminum.
The synthesis process was carried out through a two-step anodization, which included a pretreatment of the aluminum samples. This pretreatment consisted of washing the samples, annealing at 500 °C for 5 hours, and subsequent degreasing in an ethanol and acetone solution in an ultrasonic bath for 15 minutes.
The first anodization was performed for 2 hours, applying voltage pulses of 60 V and 0 V, with a pulse duration of 1 second, in a solution of phosphoric acid and distilled water. After this stage, chemical etching was conducted in an aqueous solution of chromium trioxide and phosphoric acid with magnetic stirring under controlled time and temperature. The second anodization was carried out under the same conditions as the first. Finally, electrodeposition was performed in a solution containing the Cu precursor, using the same experimental setup as the anodization. The electrodeposition of the obtained nanostructures was confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD).
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