Reactive cavitation erosion as a technique for production of functionalized copper hydroxychloride nanomaterials

The production of functionalized clinoatacamite (Cu₂(OH)₃Cl) nanoparticles from Reactive Cavitation Erosion (RCE) of copper in 1 M aqueous guanidine hydrochloride (GHCl) solution was investigated for applications as potential quantum magnet materials. As-synthesized nanomaterial was characterized by Diffuse-Reflectance Infrared Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS), XRD, and TEM. These analyses were compared to nanoparticles produced from RCE of Cu in KCl and RCE of Cu in GHCl in oxygen-depleted (Ar) and oxygen-rich (compressed air, CA) solutions to identify possible reaction pathways. (letter)