FABRICATION OF ZnO@Cu2O NANOCOMPOSITE BY HYDROTHERMAL METHOD - STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MATERIALS

Abstract

The ZnO@Cu2O nanocomposites (50 mol% ZnO doped Cu2O nanomaterials) and Cu2O comparative
nanomaterials were fabricated by hydrothermal method. The structural properties and characterization of
the materials were investigated by physical measurement methods including: XRD, SEM/EDX and solid
UV-vis spectra. The results showed that, the ZnO@Cu2O nanocomposite consists of two crystals phase of
ZnO wurtzite and Cu2O octahedra with the molar ratio of ZnO doped into Cu2O as 42 mol% (according to
EDX spectra results). The ZnO@Cu2O nanocomposite sample had an average crystal size determined
according to Debye Scherrer of 16.09nm, which was smaller than the average crystal size of the Cu2O
comparative sample (22.02nm). The lattice parameters of the ZnO@Cu2O nanocomposite and the
comparative Cu2O nano sample were in agreement with the references. The optical bandgap energy (Eg)
of the ZnO@Cu2O nanocomposite sample calculated by the Tauc equation was 2.65eV, reached an
intermediate value between the Eg value of single-phase ZnO (3.37eV) and single-phase Cu2O
(2.17eV), and still achieved the Eg value in the visible light excitation region.