Element Directed Aqueous Solution Synthesis of Copper Telluride Nanoparticles, Characterization, and Optical Properties

The present study describes large-scale synthesis of transition metal chalcogenide in its nanoregime by an element-directed, less hazardous, template-free, inexpensive aqueous solution method. Nearly homogeneous green luminescent copper telluride (Cu2Te) nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized in a single reaction at 70 degrees C within 9 h by a wet chemical method. The method ensures almost complete utilization of the precursors with a very high productive yield. The product was well characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDX), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. XRD, TEM, and HRTEM analysis revealed that the diameters of the particles are in the range of 25-30 nm. The described protocol allows a precise control and a synchronized isolation of aliquots of Cu2Te nanoparticles with defined sizes, avoiding disturbance of the growth of nanocrystals (existing in the reaction mixture) to the isolation of the next aliquot.