Iranian scientists produced copper iodide nanostructures

Iranian researchers produced copper iodide nanostructures by using pomegranate juice as a reducer. The research was conducted by Nanotechnology and Nanoscience Research Center of Kashan University. In this research, copper iodide nanostructures were produced through co-precipitation method by using pomegranate juice as a natural reducer. Anthocyanin molecule is pomegranate pigment. In addition to its reductive properties, this molecule can be used as a surfactant in the synthesis of various nanomaterials due to its high spatial prohibition. This molecule agglomerates around metallic atoms and prevents the aggregation of the compound. In the production of nanoparticles, various materials are formed some of which may be hazardous. Therefore, natural materials were used in this project in order to produce nanoparticles. Copper iodide nanostructure has numerous applications, including its application as a catalyst in the synthesis of phenol, aniline, and thiophenols from aryl halides in aqueous solutions. Among other important applications of this compound, mention can be made of solar cells as well as x-ray and gama-ray detectors. Results of the research showed that smaller nanoparticles are obtained by increasing the volume of pomegranate juice. They also confirmed that the reduction activity of pomegranate juice was as good as that of the common chemical reducers such as sodium sulfite. According to the researchers of the plan, researchers can obtain their required materials by searching in the nature taking into consideration the scarcity of some chemicals. It is both cost-effective and environmental friendly. Results of the research have been published on 1 June 2013 in Materials Letters, vol. 100. For more information about the details of the research, read the full paper on pages 133-136 on the same journal.