Synthesis and characterization study of spinel Co3O4 nanoparticles synthesized via the facial co-precipitation route for optoelectronic application

Spinel Co3O4 nanoparticles smaller than 10 nm were effectively produced in this study using a Co-precipitation method under optimal conditions. The as-synthesized Co3O4 nanoparticles were found to have great purity and a cubic Co3O4 phase structure with good crystallinity and crystallite size of approximately 9.3 nm, as determined by X-ray diffraction investigation. The Transmission Electron Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope definitively verified the spherical nanoparticle structure with high density and consistent orientations. The high-resolution-TEM investigation revealed that the produced spinel Co3O4 nanoparticles are single-crystalline and free from observable imperfections. The HR-TEM results indicated that Co3O4 nanoparticles exhibit distinct lattice fringes that correspond to the interplanar spacings identified in the XRD investigation. The energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy investigation definitively verified the high purity and stoichiometric production of the nanoparticles. The FT-IR spectra of Co3O4 nanoparticles showed absorption peaks at v(1) = 540 cm(-1) and v(2) = 656 cm(-1), confirming the spinel phase structure of the nanoparticles. UV-Vis spectroscopy was utilized to confirm the existence of two distinct band gaps in Co3O4 nanoparticles at energy levels of 3.4 eV and 4.21 eV. Obtaining Co3O4 nanoparticles smaller than 10 nm with specific properties allows for the development of innovative and effective optoelectronic devices with customized features.