Exploring the electrosynthesis and morphological aspects of copper oxide nanoneedles in ethylene glycol/water mixtures for their application in the degradation of wastewater pollutants

A. BOULETT NEIRA; D. OYARZÚN; A. TELLO; J. SANCHEZ; O. E. LINAREZ PÉREZ; C. ZUÑIDA; R. M. TRASANCO; G. PIZARRO; M. FLORES

Conferencia; 2020 Express Conference on the Physics of Materials and its application in Energy and Environment; 2020

In this study, we report a low cost, fast and unexplored electrochemical synthesis of CuO and/or Cu2O nanoneedles films as well as their morphological and chemical characterization. The nanostructured copper oxide films were prepared byelectrochemical anodization in alkaline ethylene glycol/water electrolytic solutions. The film morphology shows nanoneedle-shaped structures, with lengths up to 1-2 mm, meanwhile the XPS and spectroscopic analysis indicates that both Cu(II) and/or Cu(I) oxide is obtained. These results are promising for the synthesis of nanostructured copper oxide films, which can be a suitable material for the design of new electronic devices, biomaterials applications or as a non-toxic, low-cost and easy-to-obtain photocatalyst, for photodegradation of organic molecules, such as dyes and wastewater pollutants.