Composite materials containing zero valent copper (ZVC) dispersed in the matrix of two commercially available strongly basic anion exchangers with a macroreticular (Amberlite IRA 900Cl) and gel-like (Amberlite IRA 402OH) structure were obtained. Cu0 particles appeared in the resin phase as the product of the reduction of the precursor, i.e., copper oxide(I) particles previously deposited in the two supporting materials. As a result of a one-step transformation of preformed Cu2O particles as templates conducted using green reductant ascorbic acid and under mild conditions, macroporous and gel-type hybrid products containing ZVC were obtained with a total copper content of 7.7 and 5.3 wt%, respectively. X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the successful transformation of the starting oxide particles into a metallic deposit. A scanning electron microscopy study showed that the morphology of the deposit is mainly influenced by the type of matrix exchanger. In turn, the drying steps were crucial to its porosity and mechanical resistance. Because both the shape and size of copper particles and the internal structure of the supporting solid materials can have a decisive impact on the potential applications of the obtained materials, the results presented here reveal a great possibility for the design and synthesis of functional nanocrystalline solids.
Keywords: Cu0-containing hybrid anion exchanger; Cu2O reduction; ascorbic acid as reducer; zero valent copper.