FeCo– Fe2CoO4/Co3O4 nanocomposites: Phase transformations as a result of thermal annealing and practical application in catalysis

Abstract

The results of the synthesis and subsequent phase transformations of FeCo nanowires depending on the annealing temperature are presented. An annealing temperature range of 200–800 °C was chosen to initialize the processes of annihilation of point defects at low temperatures, as well as phase transformations as a result of oxidation of nanostructures at high annealing temperatures. In the course of the research, a three-stage process of phase transformations was established, accompanied by oxidation of the structure followed by the formation of oxide phases of the spinel type Fe2CoO4 and Co3O4. It was found that at temperatures of 400 °C and 600 °C, the introduction of oxygen occurs nonuniformly along grain boundaries with the subsequent formation of oxide compounds, and in the case of annealing at a temperature of 800 °C, the oxygen distribution in the structure of nanowires becomes uniform, which indicates the complete oxidation of nanowires with isotropic the formation of oxide phases in the entire volume of nanowires. The prospects of using oxide biphasic nanowires for catalytic reduction reactions para-nitroaniline - para-phenyldiamine are shown.