Pulsed Current Electrochemical Synthesis of Co3O4 Nanostructures

This paper is going to describes pulse electrosynthesis of different types of nanostructures of cobalt oxide (Co3O4), and provides a detailed analysis of the various factors affecting the morphology, narrowest size distribution and yield. Used the one at a time method for investigating and optimized the best result by changing the amount of all experimental effect parameters such as concentration of lithium hydroxide and potassium chloride, type and concentration of additive, bath temperature, values of t(on) and t (Off) and pulse height (current amount). The morphology and particle size of each synthesized sample were investigated by using Energy scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction techniques (XRD). The optimum experimental conditions to synthesize cobalt oxide nanorods include lithium hydroxide (0.01 M), potassium chloride (0.1 M), pulsed current of 40 mA. cm(-2), pulse time(ton) of 0.5 s, relaxation time (t(off)) of 2 s and solution temperature of 25 degrees C. Based on experimental results, the optimum sample includes pure and uniform cobalt oxide nanorodes with an average diameter of 30 nm and average length of 600 nm. The presence of glycerol (2 g l(-1)) as agglomeration inhibitor and as structure directly additive in the synthesis solution makes to form uniform cobalt oxide nanoflakes with an average thickness of 25 nm. This approach can be used as efficient, inexpensive and environmentally friendly method for producing of Cobalt oxide nanoparticles.