Study on the kinetics of process for obtaining cobalt nanopowder by hydrogen reduction under isothermal conditions

Abstract

The kinetics of metallic cobalt nanopowder synthesizing by hydrogen reduction from Co(OH)2 nanopowder under isothermal conditions were studied. Co(OH)2 nanopowder was prepared in advance by chemical deposition from aqueous solutions of Co(NO3)2 cobalt nitrate (10 wt.%) and NaOH alkali (10 wt.%) at room temperature, pH = 9 under continuous stirring. The hydrogen reduction of Co(OH)2 nanopowder under isothermal conditions was carried out in a tube furnace in the temperature range from 270 to 310 °C. The crystal structure and composition of powders was studied by X-ray phase analysis. The specific surface area of samples was measured using the BET method by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption. The average particle size of powders was determined by the measured specific surface area. Particles size characteristics and morphology were investigated by transmission and scanning electron microscopes. Kinetic parameters of Co(OH)2 hydrogen reduction under isothermal conditions were calculated using the Gray–Weddington model and Arrhenius equation. It was found that the rate constant of reduction at t = 310 °C is approximately 1.93 times higher than at 270 °C, so the process accelerates by 1.58 times for 40 min of reduction. The activation energy of cobalt nanopowder synthesizing from Co(OH)2 by hydrogen reduction is ~40 kJ/mol, which indicates a mixed reaction mode. It was shown that cobalt nanoparticles obtained by the hydrogen reduction of its hydroxide at 280 °C are aggregates of equiaxed particles up to 100 nm in size where individual particles are connected to several neighboring particles by contact isthmuses.