Preparation and characterization of ultrafine nanoparticles of Cu doped lithium tetraborate

Abstract

This study details an innovative single-step thermal synthesis of nano-sized lithium tetraborate doped with 0.1. %wt copper and its characterization. The heating temperature for the synthesis of the nanoparticle material was optimized by variation between 200 and 850. °C. The optimum amount of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) the capping agent was determined to be 0.027. mol. per. 1. g LTB-Cu. The calcination time was 2. h. Characterization of the samples was carried out using Thermogravimetry Analysis (TGA), Derivative Thermogravimetry (DTG), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The product was thermally stable above 450. °C. FTIR, XRD and TEM results confirmed the formation of pure nano-crystalline copper doped lithium tetraborate between 450 and 750. °C. The optical bandgap was estimated to be 5.02-6.05. eV in the presence of different amounts of PVP at various calcination temperatures.