Large-scale synthesis of single-crystalline CuO nanoplatelets by a hydrothermal process

Two-dimensional CuO nanoplatelets were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal treatment of cupric dodecylsulfate (Cu(DS)2) and NaOH aqueous solution at 120 °C. The products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, respectively. A possible mechanism was also proposed to account for the growth of these CuO nanoplatelets.