A RTIL (room temperature ionic liquid) containing iodine/iodide (RTIL-I) was studied to determine its coated copper extraction efficiency on the surface of scrap Cu/indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films. According to the X-ray absorption near edge structural spectra and transmission electron microscopy observations, about 95% of Cu with the size of 80 nm was stripped from scrap Cu/ITO thin film into the RTIL-I and then formed 90 nm of alpha-Cul and Cul(2) within 30 min at 298 K. The P-31 NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectra suggests [PF6] of the RTIL-I may enhance the extraction of nanoparticles into the RTIL-I. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.