Self-assembled copper nanowalls into microstructures with different shapes: A facile aqueous approach

Copper microstructures assembled with nanowalls have been synthesized in aqueous solution at 200 degrees C for 24 h. Two different novel morphologies, microstructures with net and radial shapes, were obtained by controlling the concentration of the starting materials. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technologies. The formation mechanism of the morphology control over the copper microstructures was investigated; the addition of NaOH in aqueous solution and the choice of NaH2PO2 center dot H2O as the reducing agent were found to be important for the final generation of copper microstructures.