title: Nanoparticulate copper--routes towards oxidative stability.
abstract: A modified polyol-based reduction method in ethylene glycol that incorporates poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP, M(av) = 10,000; 40,000; 55,000) as polymeric anti-agglomerant alongside a reducing additive (N(2)H(4) x H(2)O, NaBH(4), NaH(2)PO(2) x H(2)O) has been employed to investigate the influence of synthetic parameters on the purity, morphology and stability of an array of polymer-coated copper nanoparticles. While data point to ethylene glycol being capable of acting as a reductant in this system, the use of NaH(2)PO(2) x H(2)O as co-reductant in tandem with the presence of PVP (M(av) 40,000) has rendered nanoparticles with a mean size distribution of 9.6 +/- 1.0 nm that exhibit stability towards oxidation for several months. These data allow us to probe fundamentally how oxidatively stable nano-copper might be achieved.
authors.affiliation: The University Chemical Laboratories, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Engels
authors.forename: Faysal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Benaskar
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Jefferson
authors.forename: Brian F G
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Andrew E H
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Wheatley
mesh_terms: D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010316:Particle Size; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C042670:N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone; D003300:Copper; C018279:sodium phosphate