Preparation and characterization of nanosized Zn–Co spinel oxide by solid state reaction method

ZnCo2(C2O4)3·6H2O nanocrystal was prepared by a one-step solid state reaction method at room temperature under ambient conditions using oxalic acid as a chelating agent. Adding oxalic acid to the mixture of zinc acetate dihydrate and cobalt acetate tetrahydrate, grinding and subsequently calcining the precursor at different temperatures, the pink precursor was attained. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry have been used to study the thermal behaviors of the precursor, which reveal that the precursor is a compound. Powder X-ray diffraction data show that the sample obtained by heating the precursor between 350 °C and 550 °C for 3 h is a single-phase cubic material having the spinel-type structure, which can be confirmed by infrared spectra. Transmission electron microscopy images show that the grain size of the precursor and the products are about 50 nm and 20 nm, respectively.