A facile novel synthesis of delafossite CuFeO₂ powders

P-type transparent conducting oxides copper delafossite CuFeO₂ powders have been successfully synthesized by using hydrothermal method. The influence of synthesis conditions on the crystal structure, morphology, optical and magnetic properties was systematically studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM), UV–Vis–NIR scanning spectrophotometer and vibrating sample magnetometer. The results indicated the precipitated precursor at pH value of 12 using 1 M NaOH as a base in the presence of hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent hydrothermally treated at 280 °C for 96 h was transformed to pure rhombohedral 3R delafossite phase. SEM observations of these powders confirmed their hexagonal like structure. The transmittance of the sample was around 65 %. The optical band gap of delafossite–CuFeO₂ sample prepared was 3.5 eV as a visible transparent material. Furthermore, magnetic properties behavior was identified and paramagnetism property was found at a room temperature. The saturation magnetization and coercive force for the pure sample were 1.2 emu/g and 58.35 Oe, respectively.