Fabrication of nano-sized copper powders in liquid media via high-energy electrical explosion method: Use of high purity copper recovered from waste jelly-filled cable as raw material

A novel process for fabrication of nano-sized copper powders in organic oleic acid medium was developed employing a high-energy electrical explosion method. Formation of copper oxides was inhibited by the oleic acid medium during the electrical explosion of copper wires recovered from waste jelly-filled cable as a raw material for synthesis of nano-colloids and final dried nano-sized copper powders. High voltage of 320 V was repeatedly applied between the two horizontal electrodes for 3000 electrical explosions across the horizontal electrodes assembly. The copper powders were finally recovered via dispersion of the colloid by ultra-sonification and subsequent drying in an oven at 60 °C for 1 h and 5 h, respectively. The copper powders thus fabricated were analyzed using FESEM, BET surface area analyzer, TEM and elemental analyzer for determination of morphology, porosity and elemental purity. All of them turned out to be superior compared to similarly produced copper nano-sized powders in deionized water or ethyl alcohol (EtOH) media.