Synthesis of CuO nano- and micro-structures and their Raman spectroscopic studies

We report on the synthesis of different CuO nanostructures via a simple solution approach with high yield at low cost by reduction of CuCl2 aqueous solution with NaOH alkaline solution. The morphology of the CuO nanostructures is significantly influenced by the shape controller surfactant. Belt-, bambooleaf- and shuttle-like CuO nanostructures were synthesized by reduction of CuCl2 aqueous solution with NaOH alkaline solution in the presence of the surfactant PEG, CTAB and in the absence of surfactant at 75 °C, respectively. The Raman scattering investigations of the as-prepared CuO nanostructures show that the morphology and size of nanostructures have a great effect on the intensity of the two-phonon scattering band (2Bg) (multi-phonon (MP) transition) of the as-prepared CuO nanostructures. A tentative mechanism has been given for the formation of CuO nanostructures with different morphologies.