Synthesis of nanoparticles of CuI, CuCrO4, and CuS in water/AOT/cyclohexanone and water/TX-100+i-propanol/cyclohexanone reverse microemulsions

The phase behaviors of two potential ternary and quaternary microemulsion forming systems (water/AOT/cyclohexanone (Cy) and water/TX-100/i-propanol/Cy) have been studied. The nanoparticles of copper iodide, CuI; copper chromate, CuCrO4; and copper sulfide, CuS have been synthesized in these microemulsion media at different [water]/[amphiphile] mole ratio. The formed nanoparticles of the studied copper salts have been characterized by the UV-visible, fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as well as by the dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) methods. From the absorption spectra of the colloidal dispersions of the salts CuI, CuCrO4, and CuS, their band gap values have been evaluated. The rate of growth of the insoluble copper salts in the nanowater compartments of the quaternary microemulsion has been followed by the DLS method.