Title : Synthesis of Rice-Ear-Shaped Cu dendrites by Galvanic displacement
Abstract:
Rice-ear-shaped Cu dendritic particles were fabricated through fast galvanic displacement reactions for 3–5 min under ambient conditions by adding Zn particles into an aqueous electrolyte without chlorine ions. The Cu dendritic particles had a small average size (4.44 μm) and short, multiple branches that seemed to be aggregates of nanoparticles were formed on backbone stems, exhibiting large surface area. The Cu dendrites could be protected against oxidation during drying by post-treatment. While the dendrite stem was a polycrystal grown only on the (111) plane, the branches consisted of three planes (111), (200), and (220), indicating that they were formed by random attachment of nanoparticles and aggregates. A possible low-temperature and high-speed synthesis mechanism was discussed with results of time-dependent SEM investigations as well as TEM studies regarding the crystal structure of the dendrite. This novel technique to synthesize the modified dendrites is extremely simple and suitable for mass production.
In this study, we have synthesized Cu dendrite powders using galvanic displacement of Zn powder. The Zn powder disappears, allowing easy collection of the Cu dendrites. The morphology and time-dependent evolution of the dendrites are analyzed in detail. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because the updated processing method, the mechanisms of which are detailed in the study, provides a fast synthesis with a high yield, and is suitable for mass production. Further, we believe that this paper will be of interest to the readership of your journal because it elucidates the mechanisms involved during synthesis and processing of Cu dendrites.
