A Simple Method for the Fabrication of Metallic Copper Nanospheres-Decorated Cellulose Nanofiber Composite

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2016.04.015

Abstract

Abstract: Herein, we report a new and simple method for the preparation of metallic copper nanospheres-decorated cellulose nanofiber composite (CuNSs/CNFs). Initially, the cellulose acetate nanofibers (CANFs) were electrospun followed by deacetylation and anionization to produce functional anionic cellulose nanofibers (f-CNFs). The CuCl₂precursor was deposited on the f-CNFs (CuCl₂/CNFs) by a simple dipping method. Then the CuCl₂/CNFs were reduced under vacuum by using aluminum foil to produce the CuNSs/CNFs. The resultant CuNSs/CNFs composite was characterized by various microscopic and spectroscopic methods. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed the successful functionalization of anionic groups with the CNFs. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) results confirmed the formation of CuNSs on the surface of CNFs. From the scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis, the weight percentage of Cu was found to be 23.5 wt%. The successful reduction of CuO to metallic Cu was confirmed by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Mechanism has been proposed for the formation of metallic Cu sphere on CNFs.

Key words: Cellulose nanofibers, Copper nanospheres, Nanocomposites, Reduction, Aluminum foil

Hyunsik Bang, Ke Ma, Kai Wei, Chang-Yong Kang, Byoung-Suhk Kim, Mayakrishnan Gopiraman, Jung Soon Lee, Ick-Soo Kim. A Simple Method for the Fabrication of Metallic Copper Nanospheres-Decorated Cellulose Nanofiber Composite[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2016, 32(7): 605-610.

Figures/Tables 10

Schematic illustration for the preparation of CuNSs/CNFs (1—deacetylation, 2—anionization, 3—CuCl2deposition and 4—reduction).

FE-SEM images of (a) CANFs, (b) CNFs, (c) f-CNFs (inset: magnified FE-SEM images), and (d) average fiber diameter of CANFs, CNFs, f-CNFs and CuCl2/CNFs.

FT-IR spectra of CANFs, CNFs and f-CNFs.

(a) FE-SEM image and (b) EDS spectrum of CuCl2/CNFs, and its corresponding elemental mapping of (c) Cu and (d) Cl (inset: magnified SEM images).

TEM images of (a, b) CuCl2/CNFs and (c, d) CuNSs/CNFs.

(a, b) Low magnification and (c, d) high magnification FE-SEM images of CuNSs/CNFs.

(a) Cu 2p XPS spectra of CuCl2/CNFs and CuNSs/CNFs, and (b) XRD patterns of CNFs, CuCl2/CNFs and CuNSs/CNFs.

Proposed mechanism for the formation of metallic CuNSs on CNFs.

(a) SEM image, (b) corresponding Al mapping and (c) EDS spectra of pure Al foil.

(a) SEM image, and corresponding (b) Al, (c) Cl, (d) Fe, (e) Cu mappings, and(f) EDS spectra of pure Al foil after use.

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