Surfactant-controlled low-temperature thermal decomposition route to monodispersed phase pure tricobalt tetraoxide nanoparticles

A low-temperature synthesis of tricobalt tetraoxide, Co3O4 nanoparticles was accomplished via thermal decomposition of a new precursor cobalt malonate, [CoCH2C2O4] center dot 2H(2)O in presence of surfactant stabilizers oleylamine (C18H35NH2) and triphenylphosphine ((C6H5)(3)P). The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM). FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Powder XRD pattern furnished evidence for a face-centered cubic structure of Co3O4 with average crystallite size of about 10 nm. TEM studies revealed Co3O4 nanoparticles to be monodispersed, mostly cubic having sizes 4-12 nm. Electron diffraction pattern indicates polycrystalline nature of the synthesized material. Raman spectrum showed four characteristic peaks of Co3O4 which further affirmed the phasic purity of the material. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.