A Sol-Gel Approach to Nanophasic Copper Oxide Thin Films

Nanostructured copper oxide films were prepared via sol-gel starting from ethanolic solutions of copper (II) acetate[Cu(CH3COO)2.H2O]. Films were obtained by dip-coating at room temperature in air and were subsequently heat-treated atdifferent temperatures (100-900°C) in oxidizing (air), inert (N2) or reducing (4% H2 in N2) atmospheres. The evolution of theoxide coatings under thermal treatment was studied by glancing incidence X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopyand X-ray excited Auger electron spectroscopy. Different crystalline phases were observed as a function of the annealingconditions. Depending on both temperature and atmosphere, the film composition resulted single- or multi-phasic. All the layerswere nanostructured with an average crystallite size lower than 20 nm. The most relevant results concerning sample compositionand microstructure as well as their mutual relations with the synthesis conditions are presented and discussed.