Object: Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) and copper oxide doped with various percentage of nickel (Ni) have been successfully prepared using the solid-solid reaction method.
Methods: The obtained powders of these CuO NPs have been calcined at various temperatures of 350°C, 450°C, 550°C and 650°C. These NPs have been characterized by Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) and Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
Results: XRD results obtained a pure phase of the as-prepared CuO NPs. The average crystallite size determined from XRD increases with certain calcination temperature. Doping of Ni in CuO NPs is extensively studied. The increase of Ni from 0.5% to 10% causes a decrease in the average crystallite size observed in FESEM studies. Moreover, magnetic properties are investigated for as-prepared CuO, CuO calcined at 650°C, and CuO doped 10% Ni.
Conclusion: The magnetic observations illustrated that, at the maximum applied field of 1.5 kOe, the magnetic response with a maximum moment M ≤ 0.01 emu/g for CuO NPs is achieved. This could be related to the uncompensated surface spins. Moreover, the magnetic response with a maximum moment is doubled in CuO NPs doped with 10% Ni.