Preparation of a copper-polymer composite through the thermolysis of copper(II) succinate

A procedure has been proposed for the preparation of copper/polymer composites through Cu(C4H4O4) · H2O succinate thermolysis. Three types of copper nanoparticles have been incorporated into a fibrous carbon-polymer matrix of the composite: cubic (350 × 350 nm) and needle-like (40–80 nm in diameter and 4.5–5.5 μm in length) crystals and spherical copper particles (5 to 45 nm). We have compared copper succinate and copper maleate decomposition processes. The composites obtained through thermolysis have been shown to differ drastically.