Chemical synthesis of α-cobalt hydroxide

Precipitation reactions using ammonia yield a novel cobalt hydroxide phase that is structurally and compositionally similar to alpha-nickel hydroxide. The use of other synthetic methods yields the well-known beta-Co(OH)(2). The slab composition, mode of anion inclusion, and thermal behavior of the hydroxides obtained by ammonia precipitation are similar to those of alpha-nickel hydroxide; however, the materials are poorly ordered. A DIFFaX simulation of the powder X-ray diffraction patterns offers the best visual march with the observed patterns for a 50% stacking disorder and a disc radius between 100 and 1000 Angstrom. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd, All rights reserved.