Nanocrystalline Co3O4 fabricated via the combustion method

• Published in: Metals and materials international 2013, 19(3), , pp.489-495
• Main Authors: Makhlouf, M. Th, Abu-Zied, B. M., Mansoure, T. H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Engineering Thermodynamics; Heat and Mass Transfer; Machines; Magnetic Materials; Magnetism; Manufacturing; Materials Science; Metallic Materials; Processes; Solid Mechanics; 재료공학
• ISSN: 1598-9623; 2005-4149
• DOI: 10.1007/s12540-013-3017-7

A facile and rapid combustion method has been used to prepare nano-crystalline Co 3 O 4 spinel employing urea as a combustion fuel. The fabrication was carried out by refluxing a mixture of cobalt nitrate and urea followed by calcination, for 3 h in static air atmosphere, at 400 °C. The thermal genesis of the Co 3 O 4 was explored by means of thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses in air atmosphere in the temperature range 25–1000 °C. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectra, and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the Co 3 O 4 . The obtained results conrmed that the resulting oxides were comprised of pure single-crystalline Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles. Moreover, various comparison experiments showed that several experimental parameters, such as the reflux time and the urea/cobalt nitrate molar ratio, play important roles in the crystallite size as well as the morphological control of Co 3 O 4 powders. Consequently, the minimum crystallite size can be obtained at 12 h reflux and a urea/cobalt nitrate molar ratio of 5.