Microwave-assisted Synthesis of Single-crystalline CuO Nanoleaves

Single-crystalline CuO nanoleaves with an average thickness of about 10 nm and with lateral sizes of hundreds of nanometers to several micrometers have been successfully synthesized by microwave-heating of an aqueous solution containing copper salt and sodium hydroxide. CuO nanoleaves were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and UV–vis absorption spectrum. The band gap of CuO nanoleaves was estimated to be (almost equal)2.13 eV, which shows significant blue-shift compared with that of the bulk.