We have demonstrated an interesting approach for the one-pot synthesis of cupric oxide (CuO) nanourchins with sub-100 nm through a sequential dissolution-precipitation process in a water/ethanol system. The first stage produces a precursory crystal [Cu7Cl4(OH)10H2O] that is transformed into monoclinic CuO nanourchins during the following stage. Water is a required reactant for the morphology-controlled growth of different CuO nanostructures. When evaluated for their nonenzymatic glucose-sensing properties, these CuO nanourchins manifest higher sensitivity. Significantly, this water-dependent precursor transformation method may be widely used to effectively control the growth of other metal oxide nanostructures.
For the first time, a facile, one-pot water/ethanol solution-phase transformation of Cu2(NO3)(OH)3 precursors into bicomponent CuO hierarchical nanoflowers is demonstrated by a sequential in situ dissolution-precipitation formation mechanism. The first stage produces a precursory crystal (monoclinic Cu2(NO3)(OH)3) that is transformed into monoclinic CuO nanoflowers during the following stage. Water is a required reactant, and the morphology-controlled growth of CuO nanostructures can be readily achieved by adjusting the volume ratio between water and ethanol. Such a bicomponent CuO hierarchical nanoflower serving as a promising electrode material for a nonenzymatic glucose biosensor shows higher sensitivity and excellent selectivity. The findings reveal that the different Cu(x)M(y)(OH)(z) (M = acidic radical) precursors synthesized in a water/ethanol reaction environment can be utilized to obtain new forms of CuO nanomaterials, and this unique water-dependent precursor-transformation method may be used to effectively control the growth of other metal oxide nanostructures.
Inspired by a sequential hydrolysis-precipitation mechanism, morphology-controllable hierarchical cupric oxide (CuO) nanostructures are facilely fabricated by a green water/ethanol solution-phase transformation of Cu(x)(OH)(2x-2)(SO4) precursors in the absence of any organic capping agents and without annealing treatment in air. Antlerite Cu3(OH)4(SO4) precursors formed in a low volume ratio between water and ethanol can transform into a two-dimensional (2D) hierarchical nanoporous CuO ribbon assembly of free-standing nanoneedle building blocks and hierarchical nanoneedle-aggregated CuO flowers. Brochantite Cu4(OH)6(SO4) precursors formed in a high volume ratio between water and ethanol can transform into hierarchical nanoplate-aggregated CuO nanoribbons and nanoflowers. Such 2D hierarchical nanoporous CuO ribbons serving as a promising electrode material for nonenzymatic glucose detection show high sensitivity, a low detection limit, fast amperometric response and good selectivity. Significantly, this green water-induced precursor-hydrolysis method might be used to control effectively the growth of other metal oxide micro-/nanostructures.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.