Synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles with vegetable oil as the stabilizing agent

Abstract

Cobalt nanoparticles were prepared using cobalt nitrate, vegetable oil and sucrose. Ethanol was used as a solvent as the calculation of heat of reaction showed the destabilization of cobalt particles when water is present in the synthesis mixture. The TG/DTA data showed a weight loss of 62 wt.% at less than 470 oC. The calcination of cobalt nanoparticles at 450 °C demonstrated the sintering of cobalt nanoparticles and increasing of crystallite size and crystallinity. The XRD data revealed fcc structure for the cobalt particles and a crystallite size of 6.4 nm. The scanning electron micrograph showed a particle size in the range of 5.8 – 32 nm for the cobalt nanoparticles calcined at 450 oC for 10 min. The material synthesized without vegetable oil was found to be a mixture of cobalt and cobalt oxides.