Hydrothermal synthesis of mesoporous Co3O4 nanobelts by means of a compound precursor

In the present work, high surface area mesoporous cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanobelts have been synthesized by thermal treatment of cobalt hydroxide carbonate (CHC) precursors. CHC nanobelts were prepared by a facile hydrothermal method. Control experiments with variations in reaction time, solvent and different cobalt source revealed that temperature and sulfates are key factors in determining the formation of CHC nanobelts. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images showed that the Co3O4 nanobelts consisted of mesoporous nanobelts with the average width of 40 nm. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) gas adsorption measurement further indicated that the products presented a rather large surface area (172.09 m2 g−1).

► Co3O4 nanobelts were synthesized by pyrolysis of cobalt hydroxide carbonate.
► The nanobelts were mesoporous and exhibited a large surface area (172.09 m2 g−1).
► Temperature and sulfates are key factors in determining the formation of nanobelts.
► All reactants are of low cost and the synthesis process is facile to manipulate.