Octahedral Cu2O nano powders synthesized from different reductant and the study on their electromagnetic absorption capabilities

The active precision guided weapons in various countries around the world consider optoelectronic signals as key data, mainly using visible light, near-infrared, 3-5μm, and 8-12μm bands; This article provides an explanation of the preparation method and performance testing of a new type of passive interference smoke screen material in optoelectronic countermeasures. Octahedral Cu₂O nano-powders were successfully synthesized at room temperature and constant pressure, by typical ordinary chemical co-precipitation and reduction synthesis processes etc., starting from different reductants. Different impacts of the selected reductants to the chemical-physical properties of the products were compared and screened. X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy and BET specific surface area test were subsequently applied to comprehensively and accurately characterize the crystal structure and morphology of the Cu₂O particles prepared. Concluded from the testing and characterization, the crystal morphology of the Cu₂O particles could be stably controlled, and the particle size of the produced powders distributed evenly, as ascorbic acid was used as reduction reagent. It also indicated that the obtained octahedral Cu₂O powders from ascorbic acid, have huge number of crinkle topography on their crystal surface, which make the powder possess high specific surface area, and this is also very important for light adsorption. Subsequently, the light absorption and photo-electric shield capabilities of the produced powders were checked in as smoke testing box. The experiment indicated that, for the powders reduced by ascorbic acid, the transmittance to visible light was 0.9%, to 3-5μm infrared smoke screen was 0.86% and 8-12μm infrared light 0.89%. The extinction coefficient of the visible light of the shielding smog, formed by the powders from ascorbic acid was 1.5 to visible light, 2.1 to 3-5μm infrared light, 1.6 to 8-12μm light, means the smog possesses stronger shielding abilities in a wide range of wavelengths.