Transformation of mesoporous Cu/Cu2O into porous Cu2O nanowires in ethanol

Here we report the transformation of ordered mesoporous Cu/Cu2O into porous Cu2O nanowires in ethanol. This transformation may be initiated by the oxidation of metallic Cu in the intergrowth Cu/Cu2O mesostructure by O-2 dissolved in ethanol, and the formed Cu2O nanoparticles then self-assemble into 1D nanowires. The Cu2O nanowires were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N-2 adsorption-desorption, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The nanowires have a diameter of 50-100 nm and a length of 5-10 mu m, and they are made up of ca. 4.0 nm Cu2O nanoparticles. The band gap of the Cu2O nanowires is 2.80 eV, with a strong blue shift from the bulk phase of 2.2 eV. Finally, the catalytic performance of porous Cu2O nanowires and bulk Cu2O in the conversion of N2O was compared.