Veronika Červenková^1,2, Oleg Zabeida¹, Bill Baloukas¹, Stanislav Haviar³, Andrey Shukurov², Ludvik Martinu^1
1Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
²Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
³University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic
Early (groups III-VII) and late (groups VIII-XII) transition metal oxides and nitrides have been extensively studied and industrialized for a wide range of applications, including hard protective coatings, optical coatings, and electrocatalysts. Transitioning from bulk to the nanoscale alters and enables tuning of their properties, enhancing their appeal as alternatives to scarce and costly noble metals. This work aims to advance the understanding of copper nitride (Cu₃N), a relatively underexplored late transition metal nitride. Cu₃N nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated using a gas agglomeration cluster source based on sputtering metals at a higher pressure, and projecting NPs on a substrate at a low pressure. Semiconducting, (partially) hollow, 20-nm cubic Cu₃N NP were tested for low temperature chemiresitive hydrogen sensing. Although a detectable response was observed below 60 °C, the sensing mechanism remains poorly understood and is most likely governed by a complex interplay of surface chemistry, composition, and intrinsic material properties. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a detailed study of oxidation kinetics on sputtered Cu₃N thin films. The long-term oxidation of stoichiometric films as well as real-time monitoring of the initial oxidation layer growth laid the groundwork for tailoring Cu₃N nanostructures towards efficient and stable performance.