Thermolysis of copper(II) salts of maleic acid. Synthesis of metal-polymer composites

The thermal decomposition of neutral ([Cu(H2O)(C4H2O4)]) and acidic ([Cu(H2O)4](C4H3O4)2) maleates can conventionally be divided into four stages: (1) dehydration, (2) polymerization, (3) isomerization of the maleate ion to the trans form with the simultaneous reduction Cu(II) → Cu(I), and (4) decarboxylation of copper(I) fumarate. The third and fourth stages of the decomposition of these salts coincide. The residue after the thermolysis of copper(II) maleates in a He flow is a composite consisting of aggregates from 50 nm to several microns in size. Spherical conglomerates (50–200 nm) containing many spherical Cu particles (5–10 nm) are incorporated into the organic polymer matrix of these aggregates.