Study and morphological characterization of copper sulphide-based nanoparticles

Abstract

In this thesis different synthetic approaches for obtaining copper sulphide nanoparticles have been studied with particular attention to the condition for obtaining covellite phase and monodisperse nanoparticles. Mainly oval shaped copper sulphide nanoparticles have been obtained via a synthesis at low temperature in water medium. This study shows that by varying the organic capping ligand the nanoparticles produced have different size distribution, morphology and crystallographic phases. The synthesis of copper sulphide nanocristals with a disk-like morphology has also been studied. The plasmonic behaviour for all the synthesized nanoparticles have been experimentally investigated by UV-VIS absorption, their morphology and average size by means of TEM, SEM and DLS together with X-ray diffraction to understand their crystallographic phases. The copper sulphide nanoparticles synthesized in this work can be used as photothermal mediators and so employed in the treatment of tumours.