Microwave Prepared Oxidation Resistant Cu Microstructures with Tailored Morphologies

Copper has attracted considerable interest due to its significant potential for a wide range of applications. The synthesis of copper (Cu) nanoparticles is tedious as they are prone to oxidize even in atmospheric conditions. Surfactant-free microwave-assisted synthesis of Cu microstructures with different morphologies has been accomplished here in the presence of only an antioxidant (ascorbic acid). The size and morphology of the synthesized Cu microstructures were varied by tuning the microwave power, reaction time and concentration of ascorbic acid. Oligoclusters of Cu were isolated through an optimized post-synthesis processing step, and investigations over a period of months of XRD data revealed remarkable stability against oxidation of the synthesized microstructures. TEM and other morphological analyses support a detailed and comparative study on the influences of MW irradiation as well as of the different concentrations of reducing agent, from which metrics for the synthesis of stable Cu microstructures have been established.