Shape evolution and effect of organic additives in the electrosynthesis of Cu nanostructures
Copper nanostructures were electrodeposited onto FTO in potentiostatic conditions at acidic pH without and with organic additives with different charge and structure: two cationic surfactants (hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide and substituted deoxycholic acid), two anionic ones (sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate) and two neutral ones (saponin and deoxycholic acid). Shape evolution (assessed by image analyses of SEM micrographs) was determined for different copper concentrations (0.001–0.1 M) and discharged charge (Q = 0.001–0.1 C) without additives.