X-ray effects on the oxidation of Cu nanoparticles

Abstract

X rays have been widely used for nondestructive analysis of nano-scaled materials for a long time; however, the effects of x-ray radiation have been less extensively discussed. In this work, by means of the in-situ x-ray diffraction and the ex-situ high-resolution electron microscopy, we have quantitatively investigated the x-ray effect on the oxidation behavior of Cu nanoparticles prepared by the vapor condensation method. Clear evidence shows that the x-ray irradiation increases the oxidation thickness as well as the oxidation rate. The results are of critical importance not only for the oxidation studies but also for the nanomaterial researches with x-ray related equipment. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.