Shape controlled synthesis of Cu2O and its catalytic application to synthesize amorphous carbon nanofibers

Octahedral Cu2O particles and Cu2O nanowires were synthesized by a simple solution-phase route using N2H4·H2O as reducing agent at room temperature. Amorphous carbon nanofibers were synthesized using octahedral Cu2O particles and an acetylene gas source at atmospheric pressure. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. SEM and TEM images indicated that most of the obtained octahedral Cu2O particles had an edge length of 400–700 nm. The obtained nanowires had uniform diameters of about 15 nm, and the length of the nanowires ranged from 5 to 10 μm. The XRD result revealed the amorphous feature of the nanofibers. IR spectrum revealed that the nanofibers consist of –CH, –CH2, –CC– and –CH3 groups. The concentrations of N2H4·H2O and NaOH played important roles in controlling the geometric shape of the Cu2O.