Copper and Copper Oxide Nanoparticle Formation by Chemical Vapor Nucleation From Copper (II) Acetylacetonate

Crystalline nanometer-size copper and copper (I) oxide particle formation was studied by thermal decomposition of copper acetylacetonate Cu(acac)2 vapor using a vertical flow reactor at ambient nitrogen pressure. The experiments were performed in the precursor vapor pressure range of Pprec = 0.06 to 44 Pa at furnace temperatures of 431.5°C, 596.0°C, and 705.0°C. Agglomerates of primary particles were formed at Pprec0.1 Pa at all temperatures. At 431.5°C the number mean size of the primary particles increased from Dp = 3.7 nm (with geometric standard deviation σg = 1.42) to Dp = 7.2 nm (σg = 1.33) with the increasing precursor vapor particle pressure from 1.8 to 16 Pa. At 705.0°C the primary particle size decreased from Dp = 24.0 nm (σg=1.57) to Dp = 7.6 nm (σg = 1.54), respectively.