Low-temperature synthesis of copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures with temperature-controlled morphological variations

We demonstrate low-temperature formation of copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures as well as temperature-controlled variation of morphology by applying hydrothermal methods with copper(1) acetate Cu(CH3COO)(2 center dot) H2O and 2-piperidinemethanol (2PPM) as starting materials. Monoclinic CuO nanostructures produced at 25 degrees C were of dendritic morphology with short nanorod-like substructures and exhibited a consequently large surface area (179 m(2) g(-1)). Cyclic voltammetry measurements confirmed pseudocapacitive behavior of these dendritic CuO nanostructures giving specific capacitance ca. 28.2 F g(-1) at a scan rate of 5 mV s(-1). Oxide nanomaterials prepared in this investigation were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption techniques. It is expected that these materials exhibit improved sensing and catalytic properties due to the increased availability of surface adsorption sites. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.