The sonochemical synthesis of copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) has emerged as a powerful and widely investigated strategy in nanomaterials research, owing to the unique physicochemical conditions generated during ultrasonic irradiation. Acoustic cavitation induced by sonication produces transient microenvironments characterized by extremely high local temperatures, pressures, and rapid cooling rates, which collectively enable efficient reduction of copper precursors into nanoscale particles. These conditions cannot be easily achieved through conventional synthetic routes, making sonochemical methods particularly attractive for controlled nanomaterial fabrication. Compared with traditional chemical reduction and thermal approaches, sonochemical synthesis offers improved control over particle size distribution, morphology, crystallinity, and surface chemistry while significantly reducing reaction time and energy input. The ability to modulate ultrasonic frequency, power density, solvent environment, and stabilizing agents allows precise tuning of nucleation and growth processes, resulting in reproducible and scalable nanoparticle synthesis. Recent global research has further demonstrated that coupling sonication with green chemistry principles, such as plant extracts and bio-derived reducing agents, enhances the sustainability and biomedical relevance of Cu NP synthesis. This review critically examines the mechanistic foundations of sonochemical Cu NP formation, synthesis methodologies, functional properties, applications, and future research directions, providing an integrated academic and industrial perspective on this rapidly advancing field.

Keywords: Sonochemical synthesis, copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs), acoustic cavitation, ultrasonic irradiation, nanomaterial fabrication, particle size control, green synthesis, bio-derived reducing agents, nanoparticle crystallinity, scalable nanotechnology

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Anandan S, Lee GJ, Wu JJ. Sonochemical synthesis of CuO nanostructures with different morphology. Ultrason Sonochem. 2012 May 1;19(3):682–6.
2. Mosleh S, Rahimi MR, Ghaedi M, Dashtian K, Hajati S. Sonochemical-assisted synthesis of CuO/Cu2O/Cu nanoparticles as efficient photocatalyst for simultaneous degradation of pollutant dyes in rotating packed bed reactor: LED illumination and central composite design optimization. Ultrason Sonochem. 2018 Jan 1;40:601–10.
3. Silva N, Ramírez S, Díaz I, Garcia A, Hassan N. Easy, quick, and reproducible sonochemical synthesis of CuO nanoparticles. Materials (Basel). 2019 Mar 8;12(5):804.
4. Gu H, Chen X, Chen F, Zhou X, Parsaee Z. Ultrasound-assisted biosynthesis of CuO-NPs using brown alga Cystoseira trinodis: Characterization, photocatalytic AOP, DPPH scavenging and antibacterial investigations. Ultrason Sonochem. 2018 Mar 1;41:109–19.
5. Vijaya Kumar R, Elgamiel R, Diamant Y, Gedanken A, Norwig J. Sonochemical preparation and characterization of nanocrystalline copper oxide embedded in poly(vinyl alcohol) and its effect on crystal growth of copper oxide. Langmuir. 2001 Mar 6;17(5):1406–10.
6. Kim DS, Baek C, Ma HJ, Kim DK. Enhanced dielectric permittivity of BaTiO3/epoxy resin composites by particle alignment. Ceram Int. 2016 May 1;42(6):7141–7.
7. Thanh PN, Phung VD, Nguyen TB. Recent advances and future trends in metal oxide photocatalysts for removal of pharmaceutical pollutants from wastewater: A comprehensive review. Environ Geochem Health. 2024 Sep;46(9):364.
8. Rajabi A, Boon Kar Y, Doroody C, Sieh Kiong T, Arzaee NA, Mohamad Noh MF, et al. Physiochemical and electrical activities of nano copper oxides synthesised via hydrothermal method utilising natural reduction agents for solar cell application. Nanotechnol Rev. 2024 May 22;13(1):20240008.
9. Ismail M, Gul S, Khan MI, Khan MA, Asiri AM, Khan SB. Green synthesis of zerovalent copper nanoparticles for efficient reduction of toxic azo dyes congo red and methyl orange. Green Process Synth. 2019 Jan 28;8(1):135–43.
10. Xu P, Cen C, Zheng M, Wang Y, Wu Z, Teng Z. A facile electrostatic droplets assisted synthesis of copper nanoparticles embedded magnetic carbon microspheres for highly effective catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol and Rhodamine B. Mater Chem Phys. 2020 Oct 1;253:123444.
11. Sukhatskiy Y, Sozanskyi M, Mnykh R, Znak Z. Sonochemical synthesis and antibacterial activity of Cu. Vopr Khim Khim Tekhnol. 2025;(3):65–70.
12. Matyszczak G, Krawczyk K, Yedzikhanau A, Głuc K, Szymajda M, Sobiech A, et al. Sonochemical synthesis of low-dimensional nanostructures and their applications—A review. Materials (Basel). 2024 Nov 10;17(22):5488.
13. Abbasi AR, Rizvandi M. Influence of the ultrasound-assisted synthesis of Cu-BTC metal-organic frameworks nanoparticles on uptake and release properties of rifampicin. Ultrason Sonochem. 2018 Jan 1;40:465–71.
14. Behal J, Maru MS, Katwal R, Pathak D, Kumar V. Ultrasonic assisted green synthesis approach for nanotechnological materials. J Alloys Compd Commun. 2024 Sep 1;3:100013.
15. Guzmán SL, Schlott L, Luengo C, Reynaud M, Fehse M, Galceran M. Sustainable direct recycling of Si/Gr scrap electrodes using water-based methods: A green and scalable delamination approach. Green Chem. 2025;27(45):14695–709.
16. Han CH, Min BG. Superhydrophobic and antibacterial properties of cotton fabrics coated with copper nanoparticles through sonochemical process. Fibers Polym. 2020 Apr;21(4):785–91.
17. Taheri Kal-Kashvandi A, Heravi MM, Ahmadi S, Hosseinnejad T. Copper nanoparticles in polyvinyl alcohol-acrylic acid matrix: An efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the regioselective synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles via click reaction. J Inorg Organomet Polym Mater. 2018 Jul;28(4):1457–67.
18. Nguyen TD, Nguyen HT, Phung HT, Nguyen TT, Nguyen DP. Investigating the antifungal activity of the pectin-stabilized copper nanoparticles against Fusarium solani and Rhizoctonia solani. Int J Environ Sci Technol. 2025 Feb;22(3):1497–510.
19. Nguyen TD, Hoang YH, Thai NT, Trinh GT. Synthesis of copper nanoparticles by a sonication-mediated method using Malpighia glabra fruit extract and their applications. RSC Adv. 2024;14(46):34119–34.
20. Ray S, Bhaumik A, Banerjee B, Manna P, Mukhopadhyay C. Heterogeneous silica-supported copper catalyst for the ultrasound-mediated rapid reaction between dimedone, formaldehyde, and amines at room temperature. Monatsh Chem. 2015 Nov;146(11):1881–90.
21. Abiraman T, Rajavelu K, Rajakumar P, Balasubramanian S. Sub 1 nm poly(acrylic acid)-capped copper nanoparticles for the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole compounds. ACS Omega. 2020 Mar 27;5(14):7815–22.
22. Lee GJ, Kim CK, Lee MK, Rhee CK. Facile synthesis of surface oxide free copper nanoparticles by in-situ coating with oleic acid. Powder Technol. 2014 Jul 1;261:143–6.
23. Kumar RV, Mastai Y, Diamant Y, Gedanken A. Sonochemical synthesis of amorphous Cu and nanocrystalline Cu2O embedded in a polyaniline matrix. J Mater Chem. 2001 Feb;11(4):1209–13.
24. Khilji IA, Mohd Safee SN, Pathak S, Chilakamarry CR, Abdul Sani AS, Reddy VJ. Facile manufacture of oxide-free Cu particles coated with oleic acid by electrical discharge machining. Micromachines (Basel). 2022 Jun 19;13(6):969.
25. Amaliyah S, Pangesti DP, Masruri M, Sabarudin A, Sumitro SB. Green synthesis and characterization of copper nanoparticles using Piper retrofractum Vahl extract as bioreductor and capping agent. Heliyon. 2020 Aug 1;6(8).
26. Pulidindi IN, Gedanken A. Can Biofuels Alleviate the Energy and Environmental Crisis? New York: Nova Science Publishers Inc.; 2019. ISBN: 978-1-53615-050-6.
27. Reske R, Mistry H, Behafarid F, Roldan Cuenya B, Strasser P. Particle size effects in the catalytic electroreduction of CO2 on Cu nanoparticles. J Am Chem Soc. 2014 May 14;136(19):6978–86.

The sonochemical synthesis of copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) has emerged as a powerful and widely investigated strategy in nanomaterials research, owing to the unique physicochemical conditions generated during ultrasonic irradiation. Acoustic cavitation induced by sonication produces transient microenvironments characterized by extremely high local temperatures, pressures, and rapid cooling rates, which collectively enable efficient reduction of copper precursors into nanoscale particles. These conditions cannot be easily achieved through conventional synthetic routes, making sonochemical methods particularly attractive for controlled nanomaterial fabrication. Compared with traditional chemical reduction and thermal approaches, sonochemical synthesis offers improved control over particle size distribution, morphology, crystallinity, and surface chemistry while significantly reducing reaction time and energy input. The ability to modulate ultrasonic frequency, power density, solvent environment, and stabilizing agents allows precise tuning of nucleation and growth processes, resulting in reproducible and scalable nanoparticle synthesis. Recent global research has further demonstrated that coupling sonication with green chemistry principles, such as plant extracts and bio-derived reducing agents, enhances the sustainability and biomedical relevance of Cu NP synthesis. This review critically examines the mechanistic foundations of sonochemical Cu NP formation, synthesis methodologies, functional properties, applications, and future research directions, providing an integrated academic and industrial perspective on this rapidly advancing field.

Keywords: Sonochemical synthesis, copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs), acoustic cavitation, ultrasonic irradiation, nanomaterial fabrication, particle size control, green synthesis, bio-derived reducing agents, nanoparticle crystallinity, scalable nanotechnology

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Anandan S, Lee GJ, Wu JJ. Sonochemical synthesis of CuO nanostructures with different morphology. Ultrason Sonochem. 2012 May 1;19(3):682–6.
2. Mosleh S, Rahimi MR, Ghaedi M, Dashtian K, Hajati S. Sonochemical-assisted synthesis of CuO/Cu2O/Cu nanoparticles as efficient photocatalyst for simultaneous degradation of pollutant dyes in rotating packed bed reactor: LED illumination and central composite design optimization. Ultrason Sonochem. 2018 Jan 1;40:601–10.
3. Silva N, Ramírez S, Díaz I, Garcia A, Hassan N. Easy, quick, and reproducible sonochemical synthesis of CuO nanoparticles. Materials (Basel). 2019 Mar 8;12(5):804.
4. Gu H, Chen X, Chen F, Zhou X, Parsaee Z. Ultrasound-assisted biosynthesis of CuO-NPs using brown alga Cystoseira trinodis: Characterization, photocatalytic AOP, DPPH scavenging and antibacterial investigations. Ultrason Sonochem. 2018 Mar 1;41:109–19.
5. Vijaya Kumar R, Elgamiel R, Diamant Y, Gedanken A, Norwig J. Sonochemical preparation and characterization of nanocrystalline copper oxide embedded in poly(vinyl alcohol) and its effect on crystal growth of copper oxide. Langmuir. 2001 Mar 6;17(5):1406–10.
6. Kim DS, Baek C, Ma HJ, Kim DK. Enhanced dielectric permittivity of BaTiO3/epoxy resin composites by particle alignment. Ceram Int. 2016 May 1;42(6):7141–7.
7. Thanh PN, Phung VD, Nguyen TB. Recent advances and future trends in metal oxide photocatalysts for removal of pharmaceutical pollutants from wastewater: A comprehensive review. Environ Geochem Health. 2024 Sep;46(9):364.
8. Rajabi A, Boon Kar Y, Doroody C, Sieh Kiong T, Arzaee NA, Mohamad Noh MF, et al. Physiochemical and electrical activities of nano copper oxides synthesised via hydrothermal method utilising natural reduction agents for solar cell application. Nanotechnol Rev. 2024 May 22;13(1):20240008.
9. Ismail M, Gul S, Khan MI, Khan MA, Asiri AM, Khan SB. Green synthesis of zerovalent copper nanoparticles for efficient reduction of toxic azo dyes congo red and methyl orange. Green Process Synth. 2019 Jan 28;8(1):135–43.
10. Xu P, Cen C, Zheng M, Wang Y, Wu Z, Teng Z. A facile electrostatic droplets assisted synthesis of copper nanoparticles embedded magnetic carbon microspheres for highly effective catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol and Rhodamine B. Mater Chem Phys. 2020 Oct 1;253:123444.
11. Sukhatskiy Y, Sozanskyi M, Mnykh R, Znak Z. Sonochemical synthesis and antibacterial activity of Cu. Vopr Khim Khim Tekhnol. 2025;(3):65–70.
12. Matyszczak G, Krawczyk K, Yedzikhanau A, Głuc K, Szymajda M, Sobiech A, et al. Sonochemical synthesis of low-dimensional nanostructures and their applications—A review. Materials (Basel). 2024 Nov 10;17(22):5488.
13. Abbasi AR, Rizvandi M. Influence of the ultrasound-assisted synthesis of Cu-BTC metal-organic frameworks nanoparticles on uptake and release properties of rifampicin. Ultrason Sonochem. 2018 Jan 1;40:465–71.
14. Behal J, Maru MS, Katwal R, Pathak D, Kumar V. Ultrasonic assisted green synthesis approach for nanotechnological materials. J Alloys Compd Commun. 2024 Sep 1;3:100013.
15. Guzmán SL, Schlott L, Luengo C, Reynaud M, Fehse M, Galceran M. Sustainable direct recycling of Si/Gr scrap electrodes using water-based methods: A green and scalable delamination approach. Green Chem. 2025;27(45):14695–709.
16. Han CH, Min BG. Superhydrophobic and antibacterial properties of cotton fabrics coated with copper nanoparticles through sonochemical process. Fibers Polym. 2020 Apr;21(4):785–91.
17. Taheri Kal-Kashvandi A, Heravi MM, Ahmadi S, Hosseinnejad T. Copper nanoparticles in polyvinyl alcohol-acrylic acid matrix: An efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the regioselective synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles via click reaction. J Inorg Organomet Polym Mater. 2018 Jul;28(4):1457–67.
18. Nguyen TD, Nguyen HT, Phung HT, Nguyen TT, Nguyen DP. Investigating the antifungal activity of the pectin-stabilized copper nanoparticles against Fusarium solani and Rhizoctonia solani. Int J Environ Sci Technol. 2025 Feb;22(3):1497–510.
19. Nguyen TD, Hoang YH, Thai NT, Trinh GT. Synthesis of copper nanoparticles by a sonication-mediated method using Malpighia glabra fruit extract and their applications. RSC Adv. 2024;14(46):34119–34.
20. Ray S, Bhaumik A, Banerjee B, Manna P, Mukhopadhyay C. Heterogeneous silica-supported copper catalyst for the ultrasound-mediated rapid reaction between dimedone, formaldehyde, and amines at room temperature. Monatsh Chem. 2015 Nov;146(11):1881–90.
21. Abiraman T, Rajavelu K, Rajakumar P, Balasubramanian S. Sub 1 nm poly(acrylic acid)-capped copper nanoparticles for the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole compounds. ACS Omega. 2020 Mar 27;5(14):7815–22.
22. Lee GJ, Kim CK, Lee MK, Rhee CK. Facile synthesis of surface oxide free copper nanoparticles by in-situ coating with oleic acid. Powder Technol. 2014 Jul 1;261:143–6.
23. Kumar RV, Mastai Y, Diamant Y, Gedanken A. Sonochemical synthesis of amorphous Cu and nanocrystalline Cu2O embedded in a polyaniline matrix. J Mater Chem. 2001 Feb;11(4):1209–13.
24. Khilji IA, Mohd Safee SN, Pathak S, Chilakamarry CR, Abdul Sani AS, Reddy VJ. Facile manufacture of oxide-free Cu particles coated with oleic acid by electrical discharge machining. Micromachines (Basel). 2022 Jun 19;13(6):969.
25. Amaliyah S, Pangesti DP, Masruri M, Sabarudin A, Sumitro SB. Green synthesis and characterization of copper nanoparticles using Piper retrofractum Vahl extract as bioreductor and capping agent. Heliyon. 2020 Aug 1;6(8).
26. Pulidindi IN, Gedanken A. Can Biofuels Alleviate the Energy and Environmental Crisis? New York: Nova Science Publishers Inc.; 2019. ISBN: 978-1-53615-050-6.
27. Reske R, Mistry H, Behafarid F, Roldan Cuenya B, Strasser P. Particle size effects in the catalytic electroreduction of CO2 on Cu nanoparticles. J Am Chem Soc. 2014 May 14;136(19):6978–86.