Advancements in CuO nanoparticle technology: synthesis, characterization of copper oxide nanoflowers

Abstract Nanostructured materials, including metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, play a crucial role in advancing diverse scientific and technological areas. Transition metal oxides such as CuO are integral to developments in fields like antibacterial treatments, solar energy conversion, sensing technologies, catalysis, magnetic storage, supercapacitors, and semiconductor devices. This research is centered on the hydrothermal synthesis of pure copper oxide nanoflowers, which are noted for their extensive surface areas. Zeta potential analysis, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were some of the methods utilized to characterize these nanoparticles. The results showed that band gap energies, crystallite size, and lattice characteristics are all greatly affected by CuO. XRD results indicated a covellite monoclinic polycrystalline structure predominantly orientation with average crystallite sizes around 15.84 nm. FE-SEM imagery depicted the hierarchical, cauliflower-like structure of the CuO nanoparticles. Optical assessments revealed band gap values ranging from 2.58 eV. The findings underscore the broad potential of CuO nanoflowers across various technological applications.