Abstract
Both Cu and Cu-oxide nanopowders have great potential as conductive paste, solid lubricant, effective catalysts and super conducting materials because of their unique properties compared with those of commercial micro-sized ones. In this study, Cu and Cu-oxide nanopowders were prepared by Pulsed Wire Evaporation (PWE) method which has been very useful for producing nanometer-sized metal, alloy and ceramic powders. In this process, the metal wire is explosively converted into ultrafine particles under high electric pulse current (between $10^4$ and $10^{ 6}$ $A/mm^2$) within a micro second time. To prevent full oxidations of Cu powder, the surface of powder has been slightly passivated with thin CuO layer. X-ray diffraction analysis has shown that pure Cu nanopowders were obtained at $N_2$ atmosphere. As the oxygen partial pressure increased in $N_2$ atmosphere, the gradual phase transformation occurred from Cu to $Cu_2$O and finally CuO nanopowders. The spherical Cu nanopowders had a uniform size distribution of about 100nm in diameter. The Cu-oxide nanopowders were less than 70nm with sphere-like shape and their mean particle size was 54nm. Smaller size of Cu-oxide nanopowders compared with that of the Cu nanopowders results from the secondary explosion of Cu nanopowders at oxygen atmosphere. Thin passivated oxygen layer on the Cu surface has been proved by XPS and HRPD.
