Copper Family Nanomaterials: Shape-controlled Synthesis, Microstructure And Their Surface Properties

Owing to unique physical and chemical properties, copper family metal and metal oxides in nanostructure have exhibited promising applications in catalysis, sensing, optics, and magnetics. With the development of shape-controlled synthesis of inorganic nanomaterials, controlling their surface structures and investigating effects to their surface properties will be significant to direct their applications. In this dissertation, systematic explorations have been carried out on shape controlled synthesis of copper family nanomaterials and the corresponding effect to SERS, SPR, gas sensor, catalysis, and magnetics properties.Using sovolthermal method, the truncation of Ag nanoplates and their SPR properties have been controlled. Based on preparation of silver nanowire, nanoplates, nanoparticles, and nancubes exposed different crystal faces, the crystal face effects to SERS enhancement have been found, which would contribute to SERS mechanism study, especially chemical mechanism. According to the crystal face influence to SERS enhancement, we have prepared Ag, Au nanoparticles with high SERS sensitivities and realized the applications on optical fiber probe detection.A simple solution method has been developed to prepare nearly monodisperse single-crystalline Cu₂O nanospheres. The size, crystallization, and self-assembly of as-prepared Cu₂O nanospheres have been controlled by changing reagent concentration. Compared with the shapes of nanocubes, micro-octahedrons, the shape effects to their gas sensitivities and magnetic performance have been studied. Using this solution method, the AgBr microspheres can be prepared too.Using as-prepared Cu₂O nanospheres, based on gas phase reaction, the CuO and Cu nanospheres have been prepared. The Cu₂O p-n core-shell structures and transformation without shape changing have been achieved inorder to satisfy more applications. Based on Ag, Au loading on the Cu₂O nanospheres, their application on CO catalytic oxidation has been explored. A one-pot method to synthesize Ag@Cu₂O core-shell nanoparticles with interesting optical properties has been established.