Applications in Optoelectronic Devices

Copper oxide thin films with 0-80% lucidity are highly applied for optoelectronic applications. An amplification in transmittance was recorded when an undoped CuO and Mn (1 to 5 at %) doped CuO thins films be prepared by spray pyrolyzis and SILAR technique in that order. The optical band slit (Eg) figure out from the optical transmittance study reveals that the bulk cupric oxides (CuO) have a direct narrow band slit of 1.2 eV. However, owing to the deposition procedure and constraint the optical band gap in CuO thin films can vary from 1 to 1.

8 eV. An increase in the optical band gap energy with doping concentration was also observed. For spray-deposited CuO thin films, optical gap increases from its value equal 1.42 eV in un-doped to 2.2 eV in 10 at % Mn-doped CuO thin films. Similar, behavior was observed for CuO thin films when it was doped with Fe-Cu under spray pyrolysis technique (38,39)

Biomedical Applications

Copper oxide (CuO) thin film has fascinated consideration in biomedicine for the reason that of their biocide chattels and their antimicrobial action beside an ample variety of pathogens and drug dead set against bacteria.

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Alternate to CuO metal oxide CuO fused composites were developed to augment the antibacterial resource. A sol-gel method adapted to synthesis CuO-ZnO composite with varying quotient of CuO shows a band-gap of 2.28 eV with a facade region of 23.20 m2 g-1. In the midst of various compositions the 25 % CuO-ZnO showed the best antibacterial activity with the clear zone against Staphylococcus aureus as gram-positive of 2.1 mm and 2.3 mm on behalf of Escherichia coli as Gram-negative microbes.

Application as Gas sensor

CuO be a hopeful material for an assortment of applications owing to the profusion of its components in nature, low-cost production, electrochemical assets, and good thermal constancy. These combined properties make possible CuO emaciated films to be a serious candidate for gas sensing applications. It is recognized that the conductivity value of any metal oxide can be altered by allowing the gas to absorb or desorbs on its surface. Press forward in invention methods has permitted the production of cost-effective gas sensors with better-quality sensitivity and reliability. To date most effort within the fields of metal oxide gas sensor encompass are stanch to n-type semiconductors, at the same time the sensing possessions of p-type metal oxide semiconductors have narrowly been investigated among these cupric oxide thin films. CuO slender films were designed for sensing lethal, ignitable, and noxious waste gas as: NO2, CO, H2, CO2, NH3 and H2S [11,12]. Moreover, they have been also tested for organic haze sensors including: acetone vapor, methanol, and ethanol.

It has been argued with the intention of sensors based on the two components mixed together are more sensitive than the individual components alone. For this reason, more recent works were focused on composite resources, seeing that CuO-TiO2 [57], ZnO-CuO [58], SnO2-CuO-SnO2 and CuO-CuxFe3-xO4 these sensors are solely developed from cupric oxide compound which exhibits significantly higher sensitivity for CO gas sensing [59] and the SnO2-CuO-SnO2 metal oxide pack in thin film shows higher sensitivity for H2S at 90°C to 200°C [60]. Moreover, the p-n hetero-junction between n-ZnO and p-CuO show signs of the best selectivity detection for CO gas within the occurrence of H2 gas.

Working efficiency of a range of metal doped CuO-based (M = Ag, Au, Cr, Pd, Pt, Sb, Si) sensors in the presence of low concentration of C3H8 concentration at different temperatures was descripted. The reaction of CuO thin layer and M:CuO-based nanostructure sensors was measured toward 1 ppm C3H8 at 120-380 °C, it has been observed with the intention that the sensors against gas response was greatly influenced by means of the operational temperature toward the temperature-dependent gas adsorption and desorption taking place over the oxide layer. The Cr doped CuO-based structure, demonstrates the highest sensor response and exhibit a comeback and revitalization time equal to 10 and 24 seconds, respectively. Rydosz et al. [61]

Application in Water Splitting

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells convert solar energy into storable chemical energy as hydrogen through the photoelectrolysis of water. The photoelectrode in PEC cell, must be chemically stable and should have an optimum band gap of 1.4 eV for efficient absorbtion of solar radiations. For this rationale, cupric oxides were investigated as alternative photoelectrodes. CuO thin films deposition modus operandi and type growth of CuO nanostructute have a strong effect in values of photocurrent. The best photocurrent efficiency for ZnO/CuO heterojunction nanowire is equal to 12 % Kargar et al. [48]

Application in photocatalyst

The natural constituents, less fabrication cost, stability, and non-toxic nature, p-type conduction, direct band gap of 1.4 eV, and high absorption coefficient within the visible range contest CuO thin film as a potential candidate as absorber layer in solar cells. Many studies are focused to improve the solar cell efficiency by organizing the optical and chemical possessions of the defense layer. An attempt was made to generate a butter window layer for CuO based solar cells. Omayio et al. [51] have fabricated p-CuO/n-ZnO:Sn heterojunction solar cell using vacuum coater system, they found a conversion solar efficiency equal to 0.232 %. They bring to a close that for CuO-based solar cell, utilizing copper (Cu) as front window achieved conversion competence of 0.1 %. The cell efficiency was significantly improved when copper metal is exploited as intermediate layer between Al contact and CuO layer. Competence of the CuO-based solar cells has been improved significantly over the last four years. Photovoltaic effects were also observed in Cu2O/CuO structure with estimated efficiency of 0.02 %. Using CuO nanoparticules combined with an organic compound achieved a conversion efficiency of 0.863% is achieved Chandrasekaran [54]. The best photovoltaic performance was achieved for CuO nanostructure thin films deposited by hydrothermally, with conversion efficiency of 2.88 %.

Batteries: (Application in energy storage)

In Li-ion batteries high capacity and excellent retention was achieved by integrating the anode compartment with CuO nanoparticles. After the anode electrodes are customized with metal oxide thin films and nanoparticles (MO, where M = Co, Ni, Cu or Fe) the electrochemical capacities was rose to 700 m Ah g 1 with 100% capacity retention and high recharging rates. The newly designed battery with significant volume capacity (4260 Ah / l for CuO alone), stumpy discharging rate at low and high temperature (25 °C -150 °C), and superior stability in storage capacity (5% loss of capacity only after 10 years storage at room temperature) makes Li/CuO batteries as a battery of heavy life. [39]