Synthesis and characterization of copper oxide (I) nanoparticles produced by pulsed sonoelectrochemistry

Cu2O nanopowders have been prepared by ultrasound-assisted electrochemistry with a potentiostatic set-up. Their composition has been determined by X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy and centrifugation analyses indicate that the nanopowders consist of agglomerates of variable nanometric diameter grain. Most of particles have a diameter of 8 nm whatever the electrodeposition potential. The influence of the parameters of electrochemical and ultrasonic pulses on the particle diameter was also studied. The specific surface areas determined by Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) model are very high with a value close to 2000 m2 g−1.