Moshkan Dokht Khosravi - MSc, Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran
Mehdi Ghahari - Associate Professor, Department of Nano Materials and Nano Coatings, Institute for Color Science and Technology (ICST), Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Mahdi Shafiee Afarani - Professor, Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran
Amir Masoud Arabi - Associate Professor, Department of Inorganic Pigments and Glazes, Institute for Color Science and Technology (ICST), Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Incorporation of CuO into ZnO contributes to the formation of CuO/ZnO composite, thus enhancing some properties of individual oxides such as antibacterial and photocatalytic activities. The current study evaluated the effect of both synthesis and in-situ syntheses of copper oxide on the zinc oxide particles using Copper(II) nitrate trihydrate as the starting material as well as acetic acid, D۲۰۰, SHMP, PVP, CTAB, SDS, urea, and M۲P surfactants. The impact of surfactants on the microstructure and chromatic properties of the samples was also investigated. The results from scanning electron micrographs showed different morphologies of copper oxide particles in the forms of needle, round, and flake depending on the type of surfactant. Moreover, the chromatic properties of the powders showed that the pigment synthesized in the presence of SHMP was in a better and darker black color than the others. Further, copper oxide powders exhibited more proper anti-bacterial behavior than the copper oxide/zinc oxide composite powders. In addition, copper oxide/zinc oxide particles had higher photocatalytic activity (up to ۹۵ %) than copper oxide powders (about ۶۵ %).

CuO/ZnO composite, Surfactants, chromatic characterization, antibacterial, Photocatalytic activity