Copper oxides: kinetics of formation and semiconducting properties. Part I. Polycrystalline copper and copper-gold alloys

The anodic formation of Cu(I) and Cu(II) oxides on polycrystalline copper and copper-gold alloys (4 and 15 at% Au) in deoxygenated 0.1 M KOH was examined by voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and chronopotentiometry with a synchronous registration of photocurrent and photopotential, in situ spectroscopy of photocurrent as well as XPS and SEM measurements. The band gap of p-Cu₂O is 2.2 eV for indirect optical transitions independent of the concentration of gold in Cu-Au alloy. It grows on CuOH or n-Cu₂O underlayer. The increase of anodic potential results in a thickening of oxide film which is a mixture of Cu(I) and Cu(II) oxides. The latter is a p-type semiconductor with a low photosensitivity. The rate of oxide formation on the alloys is lower than on copper. The structure-dependent properties of the oxide phase on the alloys and copper are different. Copper is prone to corrosive oxidation even in deoxygenated alkaline solution by the traces of molecular oxygen. The corrosive growth of Cu(I) oxide film occurs according to the parabolic law. After the cathodic polarization, the surface of copper remains free of corrosive oxide no longer than 15–20 min. The preliminary anodic formation even of a thin Cu₂O film as well as the alloying of copper with gold suppresses the corrosive oxidation of copper.     

Voltammetry of copper species in estuarine waters induced adsorption of copper on the hanging mercury drop electrode in complexing ligand/surfactant/chloride media

The adsorption of copper species on a positively charged hanging mercury drop electrode in complexing ligand/surfactant/chloride solution is discussed. Techniques used were differential pulse voltammetry of the copper in the adsorbed film, and potential-step reduction of adsorbed copper followed by different pulse anodic stripping voltammetry of Cu(Hg). The CuCl^?₂ species is shown to be the most important copper moiety adsorbed on the electrode and the adsorption is enhanced by organic films. This can be a critical pathway in the reduction of copper(II) in estuarine waters. The induced adsorption of copper in organic layers has biogeochemical implications associated with the nature of organic films and their influence on the Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox couple. There are also analytical applications, e.g., the compositional assay of organic monolayers by utilising Cu(II) and Cu(I) adsorption as electoractive probes and the determination of solution copper-organic binding.     

Decomposition of Copper Formate Clusters: Insight into Elementary Steps of Calcination and Carbon Dioxide Activation

The decomposition of copper formate clusters is investigated in the gas phase by infrared multiple photon dissociation of Cu(II)_n(HCO₂)_2n+1⁻, n≤8. In combination with quantum chemical calculations and reactivity measurements using oxygen, elementary steps of the decomposition of copper formate are characterized, which play a key role during calcination as well as for the function of copper hydride based catalysts. The decomposition of larger clusters (n > 2) takes place exclusively by the sequential loss of neutral copper formate units Cu(II)(HCO₂)₂ or Cu(II)₂(HCO₂)₄, leading to clusters with n=1 or n=2. Only for these small clusters, redox reactions are observed as discussed in detail previously, including the formation of formic acid or loss of hydrogen atoms, leading to a variety of Cu(I) complexes. The stoichiometric monovalent copper formate clusters Cu(I)_m(HCO₂)_m+1⁻, (m=1,2) decompose exclusively by decarboxylation, leading towards copper hydrides in oxidation state +I. Copper oxide centers are obtained via reactions of molecular oxygen with copper hydride centers, species containing carbon dioxide radical anions as ligands or a Cu(0) center. However, stoichiometric copper(I) and copper(II) formate Cu(I)(HCO₂)₂⁻ and Cu(II)(HCO₂)₃⁻, respectively, is unreactive towards oxygen.     

A Copper(II) Thiolate from Reductive Cleavage of an S-Nitrosothiol

S-Nitrosothiols RSNO represent circulating reservoirs of nitric oxide activity in the plasma and play intricate roles in protein function control in health and disease. While nitric oxide has been shown to reductively nitrosylate copper(II) centers to form copper(I) complexes and ENO species (E = R(2)N, RO), well-characterized examples of the reverse reaction are rare. Employing the copper(I) β-diketiminate [Me(2)NN]Cu, we illustrate a clear example in which an RS-NO bond is cleaved to release NO(gas) with formation of a discrete copper(II) thiolate. The addition of Ph(3)CSNO to [Me(2)NN]Cu generates the three-coordinate copper(II) thiolate [Me(2)NN]CuSCPh(3), which is unstable toward free NO.     

Deposition of CuInS2 thin films using copper- and indium/sulfide-containing precursors through a two-stage MOCVD method

Copper indium disulfide (CuInS2; CIS) films were deposited on various substrates by two-stage metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) at relatively mild conditions, using Cu- and In/S-containing precursors without toxic H2S gas: first, a pure Cu thin film was prepared on glass or indium/tin oxide glass substrates by using a single-source precursor, bis(ethylbutyrylacetato)copper(II) or bis(ethylisobutyrylacetato)copper(II); second, on the resulting Cu film, tris(N,N-ethylbutyldithiocarbamato)indium(III) was treated to produce CIS films by a MOCVD method at 430 degrees C. In this process, their thicknesses and stoichiometries were found to be elaborately controlled on demand by adjusting the process conditions. The optical band gap of the stoichiometric CIS film was about 1.41 eV, which is in the near-optimal range for harvesting solar radiation energy.     

Plasma-assisted oxidation of Cu(100) and Cu(111)

Oxidized copper surfaces have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their unique catalytic properties, including their enhanced hydrocarbon selectivity during the electrochemical reduction of CO₂. Although oxygen plasma has been used to create highly active copper oxide electrodes for CO₂RR, how such treatment alters the copper surface is still poorly understood. Here, we study the oxidation of Cu(100) and Cu(111) surfaces by sequential exposure to a low-pressure oxygen plasma at room temperature. We used scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), low energy electron microscopy (LEEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED) for the comprehensive characterization of the resulting oxide films. O₂-plasma exposure initially induces the growth of 3-dimensional oxide islands surrounded by an O-covered Cu surface. With ongoing plasma exposure, the islands coalesce and form a closed oxide film. Utilizing spectroscopy, we traced the evolution of metallic Cu, Cu₂O and CuO species upon oxygen plasma exposure and found a dependence of the surface structure and chemical state on the substrate''s orientation. On Cu(100) the oxide islands grow with a lower rate than on the (111) surface. Furthermore, while on Cu(100) only Cu₂O is formed during the initial growth phase, both Cu₂O and CuO species are simultaneously generated on Cu(111). Finally, prolonged oxygen plasma exposure results in a sandwiched film structure with CuO at the surface and Cu₂O at the interface to the metallic support. A stable CuO(111) surface orientation is identified in both cases, aligned to the Cu(111) support, but with two coexisting rotational domains on Cu(100). These findings illustrate the possibility of tailoring the oxidation state, structure and morphology of metallic surfaces for a wide range of applications through oxygen plasma treatments.

A low-pressure oxygen plasma oxidized Cu(100) and Cu(111) surfaces at room temperature. The time-dependent evolution of surface structure and chemical composition is reported in detail for a range of exposure times up to 30 min.     

Cu‐Based Nanoparticles as Emerging Environmental Catalysts

This account provides an overview of current research activities on nanoparticles containing the earth‐abundant and inexpensive element copper (Cu) and Cu‐based nanoparticles, especially in the field of environmental catalysis. The different synthetic strategies with possible modification of the chemical/ physical properties of these nanoparticles using such strategies and/or conditions to improve catalytic activity are presented. The design and development of support and/or bimetallic systems (e. g., alloys, intermetallic, etc.) are also included. Herein, we report synthetic approaches of Cu and Cu‐based nanoparticles (monometallic copper, bimetallic copper and copper (II) oxide nanoparticles/nanostructures) and impregnation of such nanoparticles onto support material (e. g., Co₃O₄ nanostructure), along with their applications as environmental catalyst for various oxidation and reduction reactions. Finally, this account provides necessary advances and perspectives of Cu‐based nanoparticles in the environmental catalysis.     

Monolayer Assembly of Pyrene on Glass Plate Surface and Its Selective Sensing Performances to Organic Copper (II) Salts

A novel fluorescent sensing film was developed by covalently attaching pyrene moieties onto a glass plate surface via triethylenetetramine in a self-assembled monolayer manner. Fluorescence measurements demonstrated that the emission of the film could be quenched by organic copper (II) salts, including copper acetate, copper tartrate, and copper citrate, with high selectivity and sensitivity, and the response of the film to Cu(Ac)₂ is fully reversible. In contrast, the presence of inorganic copper salts, such as Cu(NO₃)₂, CuSO₄, and CuCl₂, showed lower quenching efficiency. The sensing performance of the film to Cu(Ac)₂ is slightly influenced by other divalent metal acetates, including Zn(Ac)₂,Pb(Ac)₂, Co(Ac)₂,andNi(Ac)₂.Furthermore,thequenchingof Cu(Ac)₂ to the emission of the film is static in nature.     

Effect of Ligands on Formation of Photosensitive Oxide Layers on Copper Electrode*

Photosensitive oxide layers are found to develop on copper electrode exposed to solutions containing Cu(II), different ligands, and K₂SO₄ as a supporting electrolyte. Two mechanisms of Cu₂O formation are discussed: corrosion of copper in naturally aerated Cu(II)-free solutions, and interaction between Cu and Cu²⁺ yielding intermediate Cu⁺ ions. Oxide layers formed in the supporting electrolyte at pH 5 and 7 exhibit n-type conduction; the n–p transition is observed at pH 10. An addition of ligands suppresses the oxide formation. The correlation between the photoelectrochemical effects and the stability of Cu(II) complexes is revealed: the higher the complexation degree, the lower the level of photoresponse. A model of nonuniform Cu₂O-containing layer with predominant n- and p-type properties at copper/oxide and oxide/solution interfaces, respectively, is discussed.     

Enrichment,incorporation and oxidation of copper during anodising of aluminium–copper alloys

Porous anodic oxides generated on copper‐containing aluminium alloys are less regular than anodic oxides generated on pure aluminium. Specifically, a porous oxide morphology comprising layers of embryo pores, generated by a cyclic process of oxide film growth and oxygen evolution, is generally observed. In this work, the relation between the oxidation behaviour of copper during anodising and the specific porous oxide film morphology was investigated by electrochemical techniques, transmission electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). It was found that the anodising potential determines the oxidation behaviour of copper, and the latter determines the porous oxide morphology. At low voltage, relatively straight pores with continuous cell walls were obtained on Al? Cu alloys, but selective oxidation of aluminium atoms resulted in the occlusion of copper‐containing metallic nanoparticles in the anodic film. At higher potentials, copper oxidation promoted oxygen evolution within the barrier layer, and generation of a less regular film morphology. RBS, performed on Al? Cu alloy specimens, revealed a high volume fraction of copper atoms in the anodic films generated at low potentials and a reduced amount of copper atoms in the anodic oxide films generated at high potentials. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrochemical and surface analytical study of the formation of oxide films on monel-400 and copper in alkaline media

The nature of the oxide films formed on monel-400 and copper in presence of NaOH and N-methylpyrrolidine (a volatile amine) at pH 9.5 and in 0.1 M KNO₃ medium were investigated. The oxide films were grown by applying an anodic potential of +0.4 V (vs saturated calomel electrode) for 30 min. The compositions of the surface oxide films were analysed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In the case of copper in NaOH medium, Cu(0) and a very small amount of copper hydroxide were observed. However, in amine medium, Cu(0) and Cu-amine complex were found. For monel in NaOH, the anodic film was found to contain hydroxides of both copper and nickel. After sputtering, this film showed a small amount of metal oxide below the hydroxide layer as confirmed by the oxygen peak. In amine medium the anodic film was found to contain only nickel hydroxide and metallic copper. The depth profile analysis of films showed that the film developed was very thin and the nickel hydroxide was sputtered very easily from the film. Received: 27 May 1997 / Accepted: 8 September 1997     

Comparative study of Cu(II) catalytic sites immobilized onto different polymeric supports

The catalysts with copper(II) ions stabilized onto different polymeric matrixes are prepared on either bulk (Cu/chitosan, Cu/polyethyleneimine-polyacrylic acid (PPA), and Cu-diiminate-impregnated polystyrene, polyarylate, or polymethylmethacrylate) or composite supports (egg-shell type Cu/chitosan/SiO₂ and Cu/PPA/SiO₂). The morphology of the samples and peculiarities of Cu(II) cationic sites are studied by SEM and ESR methods, and the catalyst activities are compared in oxidation of o- and p-dihydroxybenzenes by air in water. The catalytic activity of Cu(II) centers is governed by the coordination of isolated copper ions: for the most active catalysts, i.e., Cu/chitosan and Cu/PPA, the symmetry of isolated Cu²⁺-sites approximates a coordinatively unsaturated square-planar structure. At the same time, accessibility of active sites to water differs for different polymers, so the contribution of hydrophilicity to the reaction pattern cannot be excluded. Redox transformations of the active sites in the course of catalytic tests do not cause copper leaching from the polymer matrix. The binary composite systems with a film of low-loaded hydrofilic Cu-polymer supported on macroporous SiO₂ demonstrate substantially higher activity in oxidation of hydroquinone and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, as compared with the bulk Cu/polymer samples. In turn, the specific activity of Cu/chitosan/SiO₂ exceeds significantly that of Cu/PPA/SiO₂ due to stabilization of a thinner and more uniform film of chitosan at the surface of silica.     

Structure of copper 4-(n,n- dimethylamino)pyridine complexes and their catalytic activity in the oxidative coupling of 2,6-dimethylphenol

The oxidative coupling of 2,6-dimethylphenol (DMP) by copper complexes of 4-(N,N)-dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) has been studied. Catalytic experiments were carried out in which the DMAP-to-copper ratio and the amount and nature of the copper counter ions were varied. Supporting UV and EPR experiments were performed, and it was concluded that both dinuclear and mononuclear complexes are catalytically active, the mononuclear species being the more active. In solution both species are in equilibrium with one another. The mono/di ratio can be increased by addition of extra DMAP ligands. An excess of coordinating counter-ions increases the amount of dinuclear species. However, a few coordinating counterions are inevitable, and the catalytically most active species was found to be ‘Cu(DMAP)₄Cl(OH)’, the role of Cl⁻ probably being that of a bridging counter-ion promoting the formation of dinuclear Cu(I) complexes for the reoxidation step. The DMAP ligands are coordinated to Cu(II) through the pyridine N-atoms, as was determined by X-ray analysis. The Cu(II)DMAP complexes are catalytically active even without initial hydroxide addition. It is believed that the strongly basic DMAP ligands produce some hydroxide from traces of water present in the reaction medium. The species ‘Cu(DMAP)₄Cl(OH)’ proved to be able to produce relatively high molecular weight polyphenylene oxide (PPO) in short time and with good specificity ( >95%).     

Electrochemical study of Cu2O/CuO composite coating produced by annealing and electrochemical methods

The electrochemical behavior of a copper oxide electrode produced by annealing and electrochemical methods was studied in an acetonitrile solvent by means of the cyclic voltammetry method. The presence of different peaks of oxidation and reduction produced by repeating the potential scans, numerous variations in the current, and shifts of peak potentials in consecutive cycles have been justified. Voltammograms proved that various oxidation species can be produced in solid-deposited forms of Cu₂O_s and CuO_s and dissolved forms of Cu(II)_sol and Cu(I)_sol ions. The experimental results indicated that higher amounts of Cu₂O_s than CuO_s can be produced in the process of copper electrode annealing. Also, the nature of copper species is responsible for different peak currents in the cyclic voltammograms, characterized by UV–Vis and XRD spectrometric methods.

     

Nitric oxide reactivity of copper(II) complexes of bidentate amine ligands: effect of chelate ring size on the stability of a [Cu(II)-NO] intermediate

Three copper(II) complexes, 1, 2, and 3 with L(1), L(2) and L(3) [L(1) = 2-(2-aminoethyl)-pyridine; L(2) = 2-(N-ethyl-2-aminoethyl)-pyridine; L(3) = 3,3'-iminobis(N,N-dimethylpropylamine)], respectively, were synthesized and characterized. Addition of nitric oxide gas to the degassed acetonitrile solution of the complexes were found to result in the reduction of the copper(II) center to copper(I). In cases of complexes 1 and 2, the formation of the [Cu(II)-NO] intermediate prior to the reduction of Cu(II) was evidenced by UV-visible, solution FT-IR and X-band EPR spectroscopic studies. However, for complex 3, the formation of [Cu(II)-NO] has not been observed. DFT calculations on the [Cu(II)-NO] intermediate generated from complex 1 suggest a distorted square pyramidal geometry with the NO ligand coordinated to the Cu(II) center at an equatorial site in a bent geometry. In the case of complex 1, the reduction of the copper(II) center by nitric oxide afforded ligand transformation through diazotization at the primary amine site in acetonitrile solution; whereas, in an acetonitrile-water mixture, it resulted in 2-(pyridine-2-yl)ethanol. On the other hand, in cases of complexes 2 and 3, it was found to yield N-nitrosation at the secondary amine site in the ligand frameworks. The final organic products, in each case, were isolated and characterized by various spectroscopic studies.     

General routes to porous metal oxides via inorganic and organic templates

The generation of porous metal oxides by removal of template molecules from inorganic polymers formed by sol-gel type hydrolysis and condensation of metal alkoxides is described. The template molecules include organic polymers, copper (II) ions in hybrid copper oxide/silica sols and copper (II) bis(hexafluorocetylacetonate) (hfac). Neutron scattering experiments on the system in which polyacrylic acid (Mw=2,000 Daltons) is used as an organic template to generate microporous tin oxide show that removal of the template generates skeletal voids. In a second series of experiments, mixed copper/silicon oxide xerogels were prepared by hydrolysis of mixtures of Si(OEt)₄ and Cu(OCH₂CH(CH₃)N(CH₃)H)₂ in the ratios of Si:Cu=2:1, 4:1, 9:1. Selective removal (etching) of the copper component generates porous silica. Neutron scattering data and BET surface area measurements are consistent with the creation of pores with molecular dimensions (micropores, 10 Å or less). In the third strategy, Si(OEt)₄ is hydrolyzed in the presence of Cu(hfac)₂, a volatile, inert inorganic template, in a 4 to 1 molar ratio. Removal of the template from the xerogel at 100°C in vacuo affords microporous silica.     

Voltammetric measurement of copper(II)/organic interactions in estuarine waters

The voltammetry of copper in organic ligand/chloride media is dominated by the formation of CuCl^?₂ species and by induced adsorption of Cu(I) in organic coatings on the electrodes. These phenomena are utilised in a novel method for evaluating Cu(II)/organic ligand interactions, based on the principle of ligand exchange. The Cu(II)/organic species competes with glycine which forms copper glycinate. These two complexes can be distinguished voltammetrically: copper glycinate gives a higher surface excess of copper at a gelatin-coated hanging mercury drop electrode, partly because of the increased production of CuCl^?₂ from copper glycinate at the electrode surface. The method proved satisfactory for pure ligand/surfactant/chloride media and for estuarine waters. It is shown that there are two type of Cu(II)-binding ligand in estuarine waters: humic material (> 10^?6 mol l^?1, assuming 1:1 site binding) with polyelectrolyte-type binding, and discrete ligands (? 10^?6 M) with stability constants around 10⁹. The extent of Cu(II) binding by the humic material decreases down the estuary because of dilution and increased salinity.     

EPR and electronic spectroscopic studies of Keggin type undecatungstophosphocuprate(II) and undecatungstoborocuprate(II)

The coordination of Cu(II) to the Keggin type anions α-undecatungstophosphocuprate(II) and α-undecatungstoborocuprate(II) was investigated in different environments by EPR and electronic spectroscopy. This study has shown that the coordination geometry around Cu(II) in the tetrabutylammonium (TBA) salts, (TBA)₄H_x[XW₁₁CuO₃₉], with X=P or B, is square pyramidal, with copper bound to the five oxygen donor atoms of the polyoxometalate, whereas for the [XW₁₁Cu(H₂O)O₃₉]ⁿ⁻ anion, on the corresponding potassium salt, a tetragonally elongated pseudo-octahedral geometry was found. For the potassium salts, in aqueous solution, six-coordinated copper is the only form found. For the TBA salts, in nonaqueous solvents, we can observe either the presence of only one form (the six-coordinated Cu(II) species, with a solvent molecule bound to copper), or of two forms: the solvent coordinated copper anions and the five-coordinated copper [XW₁₁CuO₃₉]ⁿ⁻ anions.     

Nitric oxide reduction of copper(II) complexes: spectroscopic evidence of copper(II)-nitrosyl intermediate

Two copper(II) complexes, 1 and 2 with L(1) and L(2) [L(1) = 2- aminomethyl pyridine; L(2) = bis-(2-aminoethyl)amine], respectively, in degassed acetonitrile solvent, on exposure to NO gas, were found to form a thermally unstable [Cu(II)-NO] intermediate which then resulted in the reduction of the copper(II) centers. The formation of the [Cu(II)-NO] intermediate was evidenced by UV-visible, FT-IR, and EPR spectroscopic studies. The reduction of the copper(II) centers by nitric oxide afforded ligand transformation through diazotization at the primary amine coordination site, in both cases. The modified ligands, in each case, were isolated and characterized.     

Selective reduction of NOX with C3H6 over Cu incorporated into silicoalumino-phosphate (SAPO)

Cu ion-exchanged SAPO-34 which is a highly active catalyst for selective reduction of NO with C₃H₆, was synthesized and the Cu ion was characterized in the SAPO-34 by ESR, XPS, IR, and XAFS. ESR study indicated that two kinds of Cu(II) with different environments exist in SAPO-34. The Cu(II) species disappeared immediately by C₃H₆ treatment and recovered by oxygen treatment. XAFS study indicated that most of the Cu(II) was reduced to Cu(I) under the presence of C₃H₆. These studies revealed that a selective NO reduction by C₃H₆ over SAPO-34 should proceed by the redox reaction of a copper ion between Cu(I) and Cu(II).