Green Synthesis and Characterization of Prepared Copper Iodide (CuI) Nanoparticles Using Red Cabbage Extract

Copper iodide nanoparticles, CuI NPs, are one of the promising materials for use in many electronic applications. In this work, transparent CuI nanoparticles were prepared by the green force synthesis, which was done by red cabbage extract used not only as a reduction but also as a capping agent to reduce the toxicity in the preparation of CuI nanostructures. The structural properties were investigated by the X-ray diffraction analysis technique, XRD. The X-ray analysis shows the structure has a polycrystalline nature with a cubic phase and appears to have a preferential orientation direction along the (111) plane. Atomic force microscopy surface morphology, AFM, of CuI thin film was used to examine and measure the morphology, average diameter and roughness. The optical measurements were confirmed by UV-Visible, which showed the CuI nanoparticles have a directly allowed energy gap and a change in absorbance to a shorter wavelength (to Ultraviolet wavelength shifted region). The Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, FT-IR, verified the presence of C=O, N-O and C-H bonds, this study confirms the high reducing and capping capacity of CuI NPs via biomolecules found in the plant extract. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, FE-SEM, analysis displayed the morphology of the CuI NPs, the results showed images of the produced copper iodide nanoparticles appear to be sheets of triangular flakes. The distribution pattern of CuI NPs particle size and stability was studied using a zeta potential analyzer. Zeta sizer analysis revealed -5.08 mV zeta potential demonstrating poor stability because of the accumulation of the material.