Antioxidative metallic copper nanoparticles prepared by modified polyol method and their catalytic activities

Abstract

In this study, antioxidant copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were prepared by the modified polyol method using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and L-ascorbic acid as protective agents. The CuNPs with diameters of 61 +/- 12 nm were coated with 8-nm-thick PVP coating and showed excellent resistance to chemical oxidation and coagulation for more than 160 days in ethylene glycol solution. The unique catalytic properties of CuNPs that do not appear in normal CuO or Cu2O nanoparticles are due to the properties of metallic copper elements. The CuNPs exhibited prolonged catalytic activity toward the chemical reduction of 4-nitrophenol as well as the excellent electrocatalytic reduction of nitrite (NO2-), suggesting an efficient electrochemical sensor for nitrite determination.