MICROSTRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF NANOCRYSTALS OF ZNO AND CUO OBTAINED FROM BASIC SALTS

ZnO and CuO powders have been obtained by reacting beta-Zn(OH)Cl, Zn5(OH)8Cl2.H2O and gamma-Cu2(OH)3Cl with n-butyl-amine at room temperature. Microstructural characterization of both ZnO and CuO oxides have been carried out by X-ray powder diffraction, using the Rietveld method and convolutive X-ray line broadening analysis. Results indicate very small crystallite sizes: [D]v,h00=79 angstrom and [D]v,00l=39 angstrom for ZnO obtained from beta-Zn(OH)Cl, [D]v,h00=102 angstrom and [D]v,00l=105 angstrom for ZnO from Zn5(OH)8Cl2.H2O and [D]v,hkl=115 angstrom for CuO. ZnO and CuO nanocrystals are slightly microstrained. TEM studies confirms the crystallite size and morphology obtained from X-ray peaks analysis.