A new facile strategy for the synthesis of 1-dimensional CuO nanostructures and their reduction performance

• Facile, green and cost-effective synthesis of 1D CuO nanorods was developed.
• A microwave assisted route was designed for the development of CuO nanorods.
• l-methionine was used as complexing/capping agent for the synthesis of CuO nanorod.
• Formation of crystalline 1D CuO nanorods with an average diameter of 12–18 nm.
• 1D CuO nanorods act as an efficient catalyst in the conversion of PNP to PAP.

A facile, green synthesis of CuO nanorods was designed by microwave heating method using the aminoacid, l-methionine and NaOH, wherein the aminoacid acts as a complexing and capping agent. This method resulted in the formation of well crystalline 1D CuO nanorods having an average diameter of 12–18 nm. The synthesized CuO nanorod was characterized by TEM, SAED, XRD, FTIR and UV. The synthesized CuO nanorods act as an efficient catalyst in the reduction of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol.