Effects of reduction temperature on copper nanowires growth by thermal reduction of copper oxide nanowires

Abstract

Metallic Cu nanowires have been synthesized by thermal reduction of CuO nanowires in low concentration hydrogen environment. The Cu nanowires can be formed after removing oxide group from the metal oxide nanowires within temperature range from 200 °C to 500 °C. These nanowires have twisted structure with 100-200 nm and average lengths of 10 μm can be obtained in optimum temperature range 300-400 °C reduced for 30 min. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern shows Cu peaks recognized at (111), (200) and (220). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images reveal the reduction temperatures strongly affect the nanowires formation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images confirmed that Cu nanowires have single crystalline structures with 0.21 nm fringe spacing which correspond to (111) growth direction. The results indicate that thermal reduction of copper oxide nanowires in low concentration hydrogen environment can produce high purity and single crystalline Cu nanowires.