Characterization of cobalt oxide nanocatalysts prepared by microemulsion with different surfactants, reduction by hydrazine and mechanochemical method

Cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles were prepared by different techniques (i) by microemulsion with different surfactants, (ii) by reduction as nanometal with hydrazine hydrates and (iii) by thermal treatment of precursor obtained from mechanochemical reaction of Co(NO3)·H2O with NH4HCO3. The products were calcined at 400 °C to give crystalline Co3O4. The obtained different samples of Co3O4 were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) from which the particle size was calculated. The results revealed that all samples obtained from different methods were nanosized particles.