Preparation of CuAl2O4 submicron tubes from electrospun Al2O3 fibers

In this study, CuAl2O4 submicron tubes were synthesized by using electrospun Al2O3 nanofibers as a template. The electrospun Al2O3 precursor fibers were heat treated to form Al2O3 nanofibers. The Al2O3 nanofibers were used as the template, and the CuO layer was deposited on the Al2O3 nanofibers were dropped with copper nitrate methooxyethanol solution. The CuAl2O4 phase was formed by annealing. The CuAl2O4 was obtained by etching out the residues of the Al2O3 core and CuO shell. The CuAl2O4 submicron tubes with an average diameter of about 200 nm were obtained. The structure of the CuAl2O4 submicron tubes was characterized by X-ray diffraction studies, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry.