CuO plates were obtained by microwave-hydrothermal processing
at 130 C for 30 min without any surfactant or template. XRD
patterns, Rietveld refinement and SAED pattern indicated that
these structures crystallizes in a monoclinic structure with space
group C2/c. FEG-SEM and TEM micrographs revealed that the
plates present a agglomerate nature and polydisperse plate size
distribution (length and thickness). The agglomeration and irregularities
of CuO plates were attributed to the Van der Waals attraction
and effect of microwave radiation. TEM and HRTEM
micrographs evidenced that the growth process of the plates occurs
by Ostwald-ripening mechanism and aggregation of plates
surface by Van der Waals forces along to the two [100] and
[010] directions. Finally, a growth mechanism was proposed to explain
the formation of CuO plates by the MH processing.