Fabrication and Characterization of CuO nanowires on V-shaped Microgroove surfaces

Abstract This study developed a facile and scalable thermal oxidation method to prepare CuO nanowires on the electro-discharge machining (EDM) processed V-shaped microgrooves. The formation feasibility, surface morphology, and wetting properties of nanowires on V-shaped microgrooves were explored by the variation of thermal oxidation temperatures from 300 to 600 °C, and oxidation times from 2 h to 8 h. Nanowires were found to successfully synthesized on the V-shaped microgrooves surfaces when annealing temperature was 400 °C or higher. The microvoids or microcavities on the EDM processed V-shaped microgrooves surfaces contributed to the stress grain boundary (GB) diffusion of copper atoms, and facilitated the growth of nanowires. The diameter of nanowires increased monotonically when the annealing temperatures increased, whereas it almost kept unchanged with increasing annealing times. The length of nanowires was influenced positively by both annealing temperature and annealing time. All the nanowire samples showed hydrophobic properties of water.