Preparation and Characterization of CuO Nanocrystals

Monoclinic CuO nanoparticles were prepared by using a one-step solid state reaction method under ambient conditions. The CuO particles with an average size of 12 nm were pressed into pellets under high pressure. They were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The CuO grains in pellets grow with time at room temperature. The gradual increase in the grain size with time is clearly reflected in their Raman spectra and the XRD results. The correlation between the Raman spectra and the crystal dimension is discussed.