Oxygen Plasma Induced ZnO-CuO Nanostructure Growth on a Brass Substrate by Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet

A convenient method for direct and large-area growth of one-dimensional (1-D) CuO and ZnO nanostructures on a conductive brass substrate has been developed. The ZnO and CuO nanostructures have been simultaneously induced and growth on a brass (70Cu-30Zn alloy) substrate by using an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) with pure oxygen as the reaction gas in an ambient environment. Various one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructures such as nano-particles, nanowires, nanobelts, nanocombs, and nanosheets have been in situ grown on the brass substrates under different plasma treatment times. The plasma power of 150W and scanning speed of sample stage 1 mm/sec with different treating times were used in plasma surface treatment processing. The nano-scaled ZnO and CuO formation and its structure were characterized by means of grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The results showed that the nano-scaled CuO and ZnO growth process was as follows: nano-particles, nano-crystal clusters then nano-crystal columns with increasing plasma treatment times. The growth of nano-scaled oxide formed in sequence that CuO was first grew on the brass substrate then ZnO. The morphologies of nano-scaled ZnO resembled bulbs and long-legged tetrapods. However, the morphologies of nano-scaled CuO were likely bulbs and flake nanostructures. This approach could prepare CuO and ZnO nanostructures on a brass substrate without size limitations. The possible growth mechanisms and structure of nano-scaled CuO and ZnO are discussed in this paper. The simplicity of the preparation procedure and the potential technological of the product were be interested in this study.