Abstract
Co 3O 4 nanoparticles were easily prepared via the decomposition of the pentammine(carbonato)cobalt(III) nitrate precursor complex [Co(NH 3) 5CO 3]NO 3·0.5H 2O at low temperature (175 °C). The product was characterized by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV–visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Raman spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area measurements and magnetic measurements. The FT-IR, XRD, Raman and EDX results indicated that the synthesized Co 3O 4 nanoparticles are highly pure and have a single phase. The TEM analysis revealed nearly uniform and quasi-spherical Co 3O 4 nanoparticles with an average particle size of approximately 10 nm. The optical absorption spectrum of the Co 3O 4 nanoparticles showed two direct band gaps of 2.18 and 3.52 eV with a red shift in comparison with previous reported values. The prepared Co 3O 4 nanoparticles showed a weak ferromagnetic behaviour that could be attributed to uncompensated surface spins and/or finite-size effects. Using the present method, Co 3O 4 nanoparticles can be produced without expensive organic solvents and complicated equipment. This simple, rapid, safe and low-cost synthetic route can be extended to the synthesis of other transition-metal oxides.
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