A facile, green, one pot synthesis of cuprous iodide nanoparticles using the mechanochemical method

• CuI nanoparticles were prepared with one pot, rapid and solvent free reaction by the mechanochemical process.
• XRD pattern revealed the CuI nanoparticles were obtained in the gamma phase.
• This technique is an effective, low-cost, simple, green process to produce nanomaterials.

Cuprous iodide, that recently has been used as an inorganic hole (vacant state) conductor material in dye sensitized solar cells, was successfully synthesized with a rapid, low cost, one pot and solvent free reaction using the mechanochemical method. The XRD data showed that all peaks matched well with those of the gamma phase of CuI. In addition, EDX analysis confirmed the formation of 100% pure CuI compound. Moreover, the SEM images showed the nanosized spherical morphology of 40–70 nm. The diffuse reflectance spectrum (DRS) of the product showed that CuI nanoparticles have a maximum absorption at about 400 nm and a band gap of 3 eV. The results of this contribution corroborate the successful synthesis of pure cuprous iodide (CuI) nanoparticles.