Synthesis, structural and optical characterization of CuO, CeO₂ and (CuO)ₓ(CeO₂)₁-ₓ nanoparticles via thermal treatment method

Metal oxide semiconductor nanocrystals are regarded as one of the most important inorganic nanomaterials because of their electronic, optical, electrical and magnetic, properties. These properties are dependent on the chemical composition and microstructural characteristics in which the particle size and shape might be controlled in the fabrication processes. Amongst all metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs), copper oxide (CuO), cerium oxide (CeO2) and (CuO)x(CeO2)1-x NPs have intriguing properties for the development of novel electronic devices, solar cell, sensor, catalyst and medical applications due to their excellent optical and electronic properties. Therefore, further study is needed to synthesize by other methods and characterize these properties. CuO, CeO2 and binary (CuO)x(CeO2)1-x NPs were successfully synthesized by thermal treatment method.The XRD diffraction patterns reveal monoclinic structure for CuO NPs and cubic fluorite structure for CeO2 NPs. With no other impurities can be detected, indicating the high purity of the final products. The crystallite size was found to increase from 12.64-25.76, 8.71-22.74 and 5.12-15.34 nm for CuO and 6.45-22.18, 7.25-18.76 and 6.15-11.43 nm for CeO2 with evolution in calcination temperatures 500-800 οC at a concentration of PVP 0.03, 0.04 and 0.05 g/ml respectively. These results were in agreement with the transition electron microscopy results which showed the formation of CuO and CeO2 in nanoscale size. The average particle size estimated by TEM was found to increase from15.53 to 30.00 nm, 9.75 to 23.54 nm and 4.25 to 16.93 nm for CuO and 5.15 to 24.19 nm, 4.32 to 20.24 nm and 3.00 to 10.62 nm for CeO2 with increase in calcination temperature 500-800 οC at a concentration of PVP 0.03, 0.04 and 0.05 g/ml respectively. The FTIR results confirmed the removal of polymer and the presence of metal oxides nanoparticles at calcination temperatures 500-800 oC. The elemental composition of the samples obtained by EDX spectrosco