Modernization of the bulk Co3O4 to produce meso-porous Co3O4 nano-particles with enhanced structural and morphological characteristics

Ordered meso-porous Co3O4 (meso-Co3O4) was prepared via the nano-casting route using three-dimensionally (3D) ordered meso-porous silica (KIT-6) as a hard template, whereas the bulk Co3O4 was prepared by the precipitation method for comparison. The prepared meso- and bulk Co3O4 were used as supports to prepare V2O5 (6 wt%) loaded catalysts by conventional wetness impregnation technique. The structural and morphological characterizations of the prepared samples were investigated by XRD, N-2-physisorption, TEM-EDX, H-2-TPR, and FT-IR analyses. The result informed that the meso-Co3O4 retains small particle size, high surface area, rich surface adsorbed oxygen species, and low temperature reducibility as compared with the bulk one. These characters are responsible for the better dispersion of vanadium onto the meso-Co3O4 support.