Synthesis of Copper Hydroxide Nitrate (Cu2(OH)3NO3) Micro-Sheets by Plasma Electrolysis of Cu(NO3)2 Aqueous Solution in Atmospheric Air

In the present paper, using a cathodic pin-to-solution electrical discharge electrolysis setup, interaction of the atmospheric air plasma with aqueous solution of copper nitrate and its possibility for synthesis of nano-materials is investigated. An AC (50 Hz) high-voltage power supply (5 kV) with rectified current is used for electrical discharge of the air between a metal pin and the solution surface. The experiment shows that, immediately after beginning of the discharge, a pale green-blue powder is generated at the plasma-solution interface. Characterization of the powder by XRD and EDS analyses shows that it is Cu2(OH)3NO3. FESEM images reveal that the synthesized powder consists of crystalline micro-plates with nanometer (~200 nm) thicknesses and micrometer (~2 μm) widths. It seems that generation of OH ions and radicals in the air plasma as well as dissociation of water molecules by energetic plasma ions is responsible for the powder synthesis.

کلیدواژه ها:

Cu2(OH)3NO3 ، Micro-sheets ، Pin-to-solution discharge