Chemical Vapor Deposition of Cu2O and CuO nanosystems for innovative gas sensors

Supported copper oxide nanosystems (Cu_xO, x = 1,2) were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on Al₂O₃ substrates. Structural and morphological characterization showed an evolution from polycrystalline Cu₂O granular films to CuO samples with an entangled quasi 1-D morphology upon increasing the growth temperature from 350 to 550°C. For the first time, CVD copper oxide nanosystems were investigated in the gas sensing of CH₃COCH₃ and CH₃CH₂OH. The analyses revealed appreciable responses even at moderate operating temperatures, with characteristics directly dependent on the system composition and nano-organization.