Synthesis of Semiconductor Pigment Nanoparticles via a Quick and Simple Chemical Method

Semiconductor copper oxide pigment nanoparticles, also known as pigment black 15, is of great interest due to its numerous applications in many important fields of science and technology such as pigments, semiconductors, sensors, catalysts and solar cells. In this work, a quick and simple chemical synthesis route with a significant decrease in synthesis temperature has been developed to prepare copper oxide nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis spectroscopy,colorimetry and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Their absorption spectra in water and ethanol were also studied. Our results confirmed the formation of the pure single-phase monoclinic copper oxide pigment (space group C2/c) in the mild reaction condition. The FTIR spectrum displayed typical vibrations of copper oxide pigment at 518 and 597 cm-1. TEM micrographs also showed that particle size of the synthesized nanoparticles were in the range of 18-23 nm. The band gap of nanoparticles is estimated to be 2.43 and 2.94 ev in water and ethanol, respectively which were larger than the reported value for bulk copper oxide pigment (1.85 ev). J. Color Sci. Tech. 3(2009), 169-175 © Institute for Color Science and Technology.