Fabrication and characterization of oxide nano-needles formed by copper passivation in sodium hydroxide solution

Electropolished copper foil was passivated in aqueous solution of 1.0 M NaOH at negative potential range vs. silver chloride electrode at room temperature. The passivations were performed at −50, −100, −150, and −200 mV for 1, 5 or 15 h. The resulting nano-needle layers were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and band gaps derived from UV–Vis spectroscopy evidencing coincidence of Cu(OH)2, CuO and Cu2O phases. Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed that the diameter of nanoneedles was not influenced by the passivation potential, however, the nanoneedles diameter was decreasing with extension of the passivation time (the smallest diameter obtained was 60 ± 17 nm). Additionally, the as-prepared oxide nano-needles were found to be polycrystalline, without any post treatments. All together, chemical compositionand physical properties (band gap) show that the inner part of the grown nano-needles is rather made of Cu2O, while outer part, there where the passivation reaction takes place, is made of CuO and Cu(OH)2.