Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles with Controlled Sizes by Reverse Micelle Method

Copper (Cu) nanoparticles with controllable sizes were successfully synthesized by using a modified reverse micelle method, in which copper(II) acetate was reacted with L-ascorbic acid in a solution containing water and xylene in the presence of oleic acid and oleylamine as surfactants. The as-synthesized Cu nanoparticles had a nearly spherical profile and multiple-twinned structures, whose surface was enclosed by {111} facets. Our synthetic procedure provides a simple and readily scalable route to the preparation of Cu nanoparticles with controllable sizes.