Structure and properties of Cupric Oxide nanoparticles

A. BIANCHI; L. MONTENEGRO; R. VIÑA; P. PAÚS; L. D. JUNCIEL; R. A. BORZI; R. C. MERCADER ; G. PUNTE

Barcelona

Congreso; Seventh European Powder Diffraction Conference EPDIC-7; 2000

Structure and Properties of CuPRIC OXIDE nanoparticles   Bianchi, A. (1,2), Montenegro, L.(1,2), Viña, R.(2), Paus, P., Junciel(1), L. D., Borzi(1), R. A., Mercader(1) R. C. and Punte, G.(1,2). (1). IFLP and (2). LANADI, Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Universidad Nacional de La Plata. ARGENTINA.   Nanocrystals produced by ball-milling of CuO exhibit magnetic and catalytic properties different from those of the starting material. Their control -of basic and technological significance- is directly related to the process by which the nanoparticles are produced. In this work the results of a systematic study of the variables that govern residual strain, size, and morphology of the particles is presented. The investigated samples were produced by controlled ball-milling of high-purity CuO powders, keeping fixed the material-to-ball-mass ratio (r). The analysis of their x-ray powder patterns showed an increase of the line-widths with the energy supplied. The rate of increase was found to depend on r. A Rietveld analysis of the diffraction data allowed to analyze the change of the crystallite size and strain as a function of the ball-energy. The results are compared with those from other techniques and related with changes in the physical properties of the samples.