Incorporation of copper species nanoparticles into a silica xerogel matrix

Using IR absorption and X-ray diffraction we have analyzed the incorporatio n of Cu-based nanometer dimension clusters in a SiO2 matrix in samples prep ared by the sol-gel method. We doped the silica xerogels samples using two different copper sources: Cu(NO3)2 . 2.5 H2O and copper nanoparticles chemi cal synthesized. The samples were studied as a function of the annealing te mperature. It was found that by heat treatments and the appropriate copper precursor we can produce nanoparticles of metallic Cu, cuprous and cupric o xide. The obtained IR absorption results allow to study the interaction of the metal-based species and the oxide support.