Spectroscopic evidence of a novel array ac fabrication within the alumina template pores from acidic Cu(II)-thiourea solution

The possibility of the ac formation of a novel nanostructured material within the alumina pores composed mainly of Cu0/ Cu1.76S has been shown. For this purpose an aqueous acidic solution composed of copper sulphate, magnesium or aluminium sulphate and thiourea was used. The formation of copper sulphide was confirmed by the sharp peaks at about 1100 and 249 cm 1 in the compensated FTIR and Raman spectra, respectively. In addition, X-ray diffraction patterns taken from the synthesized product within the alumina pores indicated only a broad shoulder at 2y between 428 and 478, which could be attributed to the diffraction of microcrystalline Cu0 and most likely to microcrystalline non-stoichiometric copper sulphide, Cu1.76S, known as digenite. These species colour alumina templates grown in the sulphuric acid bath in unusual for Cu0 arrays tints from grey to deep black.