Microwave-assisted synthesis of cobalt oxalate nanorods and their thermal conversion to Co3O4 rods

Cobalt oxalate nanorods have been successfully synthesized by a simple microwave-assisted solution approach using an ionic liquid 1-n-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate. Upon thermal decomposition at 400 °C, cobalt oxalate nanorods could be converted to Co3O4 rods consisting of nanoparticles. The products were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetric analysis.