CuO nanodendrites synthesized by a novel hydrothermal route

CuO nanodendrites have been synthesized by a simple and novel hydrothermal method. Their morphology, structure, and composition have been also characterized. The results show that an as-prepared nanodendrite is composed of a main branch-like nanorod near upon a micrometre in length and about 100 nm in diameter and the sub-branch nanorods several hundred nanometres in length and 20–60 nm in diameter. The dendrite-like CuO nanostructures are of monoclinic phase and single crystalline in nature. The investigation of the hydrothermal process assisted by different quantities of ethylene glycol (EG) indicates that EG plays a critical role in the formation of dendrite-like CuO nanostructures. A possible mechanism for the formation of such CuO nanostructures is discussed. Furthermore, the correlation between the optical spectrum and the different morphologies of copper oxides nanomaterials is also discussed.