Complexing-reagent assisted synthesis of hollow CuO microspheres

Hollow CuO microspheres with diameters of 1-1.5 mu m were synthesized on a large scale via a rational complexing-reagent assisted approach at low temperature, in which Cu(CH3COO)(2)center dot H2O served as copper source and (CH2)(6)N-4 (HMTA) served as not only complexing reagent but also indirect soft template. The sample was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, TEM and FESEM. The effects of reaction temperature, solvent, and the ratio of HMTA/Cu(II) on the phase(s) of the resulting products were investigated. The possible formation mechanism of the hollow sphere-like CuO was also discussed. (C) 2006 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.