ИСТИНА

The objective of this work is to demonstrate the possibilities of the application of various porous polymer matrices (PET, PVC, PP, PE) prepared by solvent crazing as “microreactors” for the synthesis and stabilisation of copper nanophases with a desired level of dispersion and morphology. The copper-containing composites were obtained by chemical reduction from the salts using various reducing agents such as sodium boronhydride, hydrazine or by thermal reduction from formiate copper (II) and ethanolamine complex salt copper (II). The concentration of initial substances was varied from 0.5 to 0.05 mol/l. It was shown by X-ray spectroscopy that the dimensions of the nanometre copper and/or copper (I) oxide crystallites were changed from 7 to 70 nm and depended on a nature of reducing agent, the structure of the porous polymer matrices, temperature etc. Crystallites aggregated with the formation of the spherical, cubic and rod-like aggregates of 0.1-3.0 mcm. The extent of crystallite aggregation mainly depends on the toughness of pore’s walls. Copper particles were indicated by SEM to be located at the boundaries of pores and along craze fibrils and they could be uniformly dispersed at the space/on the surfaces of the polymer matrices or could be formed the layer.