High-yield preparation of two-dimensional copper nanosheets

Abstract

Cu-based nanostructures have excellent catalytic, electronic, and plasmonic performance due to their unique chemical and physical properties. A range of Cu materials including foil, spherical nanoparticles, nanowires, and nanocubes have been explored for catalyzing COelectroreduction. However, practical application of the COelectroreduction reaction requires Cu catalysts hold a high percentage of exposed surface atoms for improved product selectivity. The present disclosure describes a high temperature reduction method to prepare Cu nanosheets with size range from about 40 nm to about 13 μm in a hydrophobic system. The purity of trioctyphosphine (TOP) plays an important role for shape-controlled synthesis of Cu nanosheets. The morphology evolution was investigated by adjusting the feeding molar ratio of TOP/Cu-tetradecylamine complex. The Cu nanosheets formed by the methods of the present disclosure have high surface area and stability in solution for more than three months. These Cu nanosheets have applications in reducing COto fuels.