Suspension Synthesis of Surfactant-Free Cuprous Oxide Quantum Dots

Abstract EN

Suspension methods were used to synthesize surfactant-free Cu2O quantum dots (Cu2O-QDs) in high precursor concentrations using sodium hypophosphite as a reducing agent.

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations indicated that a large amount of Cu2O-QDs were synthesized with diameters ranging from 7 to 10 nm.

We propose a mechanism where DMSO acts as a surface passivation agent, explaining the possible formation of Cu2O-QDs.

Noticeably, the Cu2O-QDs exhibited high and stable catalytic activity for the reduction of rhodamine B.