The Effect of Nanosizing on the Oxidation of Partially Oxidized Copper Nanoparticles

Abstract

Copper nanoparticles are of great interest in various applications, such as catalysis, cooling fluids, conductive inks or for their antibacterial activity. In this paper, the thermal behavior of copper nanoparticles was studied using thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Original Cu samples as well as the products of oxidation were analysed by X-ray diffraction, scanning/transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. A step-by-step oxidation mechanism during the oxidation of Cu nano-powders was observed. The Cu-nano oxidation starts slightly above 150 °C when bulk copper does not yet react. The dominant oxidation product in the first step is Cu2O while CuO was identified as the final state of oxidation. Our results confirm an easier oxidation process of Cu-nano than Cu-micro particles, which must be attributed to kinetic not thermodynamic aspects of oxidation reactions.

Multifunctional Photoelectroactive Platform for CO2 Reduction toward C2+ Products─Programmable Selectivity with a Bioinspired Polymer Coating

“…HAP/CuO shows high thermal stability and no additional surface oxidations occur. HAP/CuO remains stable up to 700 °C …”

Surface‐Dependent Electrocatalytic Activity of CoSe2 for Lithium Sulfur Battery

“…Surface energy is expected to governs a wide range of surface-driven processes, such as the rate of sintering, the stress needed for crack growth, wettability and adhesion, dissolution, adsorption, nucleation, phase transformations and chemical reactions, the shape and growth of particles, and heterogeneous catalysis. [31,32] For example, there is a quantitative correlation between surface energy and adsorption energy of CO molecular. [33] The nanoparticle-based catalysts could be designed theoretically on the basis of surface energy calculations.…”

Distinct melting behaviour of partially oxidized Cu nanoparticles and nanowires

“…This is in agreement with Cu oxidation experiments. 27 Note that in general the time required for illustration of diffusion is several orders of magnitude longer than what can be achieved within MD simulation. Thus, we were only able to locate O atoms in vicinity of metal-oxide interface.…”

“…upon exposing to air or during wet chemical synthesis. [23][24][25][26][27] Thus, including an oxide shell is a natural maturing step towards a more realistic simulation.…”