Precise Analysis of the Surface Oxidation Layer on Cu Powders Using FE-TEM Techniques

Nanosized surface structures of Cu powders were investigated at the atomic scale by field-emission transmission electron microscope techniques. The nanoscale surface oxide layer on the Cu powder was analyzed to be the Cu(2)O phase by electron diffraction pattern and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. In addition, it was found from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy study that there are formed no surface oxide layers on the surface of alkanethiol coated Cu powders