Preparation of Cu2O nanostructures by changing reducing agent and their optical properties

• Synthesis of shape controlled Cu2O nano- and micro-crystals.
• Octahedral Cu2O samples could be obtained by using glucose.
• Nanosheet like morphology was obtained with the added sodium hydroxide.
• With using Ribose, Nanoparticle morphology of Cu2O was formed.

Different morphologies of Cu2O nanostructures were successfully synthesized through a reflux method in water by changing carbohydrates as reducing agents. The effects of reducing carbohydrates with different types of concentrations, and basic conditions on the morphology and size of nanostructures were investigated. The structural and optical properties of these Cu2O particles were studied by using XRD, SEM and UV–visible. The characteristic results revealed that using different carbohydrates in a specific concentration in water is not only reducing agent but also a directing agent to control Cu2O nanostructure morphologies. A possible mechanism was proposed to explain the formation of Cu2O nanostructures with different morphologies. The band gaps are estimated to be 1.89–2.08 eV according to the results of the optical measurements of the Cu2O nanostructures.

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