Cu(OH)2 nanoneedle and nanotube arrays were electrochemically synthesized by anodization of a copper foil in an aqueous solution of KOH. The nanoneedles and nanotubes were constructed from nanosheets of Cu(OH)2. Controlling the electrochemical conditions can qualitatively modulate the lengths, amounts, and shapes of Cu(OH)2 nanostructures. The composition of as-prepared Cu(OH)2 nanostructures has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction and select-area electron diffraction. The influences of the KOH concentration of the aqueous electrolyte, the reaction temperature, and current density on the morphology of Cu(OH)2 nanostructures were investigated, and the formation mechanism of the nanostructures is discussed. Furthermore, Cu(OH)2 nanoneedles can be successfully transformed to CuO nanoneedles with little morphology change by heating. This work developed a simple, clean, and effective route for fabrication of large area Cu(OH)2 or CuO nanostructured films.

Polymeric metal complexes are constructed by combining living polymerization techniques with coordination chemistry. These metal-centered linear and star-shaped materials combine the filmforming properties of polymers with optical and other features of metal complexes. A metal template approach described herein offers a versatile alternative to the metalloinitiator method previously employed to generate Ru tris(bipyridine)-centered polystyrenes. Specifically, 4,4′-bis(chloromethyl)-2,2′-bipyridine and 4-chloromethyl-2,2′-bipyridine were utilized as initiators for both the bulk and solution polymerization of styrene using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Narrow dispersity polystyrenes with bipyridine (bpy) binding sites at the end (bpyPS) or center (bpyPS 2) of the chains result. These bpyPSn macroligands were chelated to Ru precursor complexes, RuL2Cl2 (L ) bpy, phen) or Ru(DMSO)4Cl2, to form complexes with one or three bpyPSn macroligands, respectively. Linear polymers, [RuL2(bpyPSn)] 2+ , with Ru chromophores at the end or center of the chains, as well as Ru-centered star-shaped polymers, [Ru(bpyPSn)3] 2+ , with three and six arms were produced. In all cases, dehalogenation with AgPF6 was crucial for efficient macroligand chelation. The relative efficiency of these reactions was estimated by UV/vis spectroscopy. Molecular weight determination by GPC was coupled with in-line diode array UV/ vis spectroscopy to confirm the presence of the Ru chromophores in the eluting polymer fractions. The convergent macroligand chelation approach to star-shaped polymeric metal complexes typically works best for polymers of low to moderate molecular weights (<∼65K), with higher molecular weights possible for systems with a single macroligand coordinated. Specific molecular weight thresholds encountered are determined by the number of macroligands, the position of the bpy on the polystyrene chain, and the total number of arms emanating from the metal core.

The present work reports a simple and economic route for production and characterization of stable superhydrophobic surfaces from thin copper layers coated on arbitrary solid substrates. The thin copper layer was anodized in a 2 M aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide to form a thin film of copper hydroxide nanoneedles; then the film was reacted with n-dodecanethiol to form a thermally stable Cu(SC12H25)2 superhydrophobic coating. The contact angle of the modified nanoneedle surface was higher than 150 degrees , and its tilt angle was smaller than 2 degrees . Furthermore, the surface fabricated on copper foil kept its superhydrophobic property after heating at 160 degrees C in air for over 42 h. This technique has also been applied for fabrication of copper wire with superhydrophobic submicrofiber coating to mimic water strider legs. The maximal supporting force of the superhydrophobic copper column has also been investigated in comparison to real water striders.

Highly oriented ZnO nanoneedle/nanorods arrays have been fabricated by direct oxidation of zinc foil in alkaline zincate ion solution at near room temperature (20 degrees C for nanoneedles, 30 degrees C for nanorods).