Synthesis, phonon and optical properties of nanosized CoCr2O4

► Nanoparticles of cobalt(II) chromite, CoCr2O4, have been prepared. ► The obtained data revealed cation redistribution among octahedral and tetrahedral sites. ► With decreasing particle size the structure is tending towards inverse spinel configuration. ► Significant phonon confinement effect is observed for the 379 cm−1 IR-active mode.