A simple synthesis and room-temperature magnetic behavior of Co-doped anatase TiO2 nanoparticles

Co-doped anatase TiO2 (i.e. Ti0.93Co0.07O2) nanoparticles have been synthesized by a simple chemical route using titanium(diisoproproxide) bis(2, 4-pentanedionate) 75 wt% in 2-propanol, cobalt (II) acetate tetrahydrate and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as the starting chemicals. The nanoparticles were obtained after calcination of the precursor at 823 K for 3 h. The morphology of the nanoparticles was revealed by TEM. The particle sizes obtained from TEM and X-ray line broadening were ∼10–15 and 27 nm, respectively. The XRD and FT–IR results indicated that the synthesized Ti0.93Co0.07O2 nanoparticles have the pure anatase TiO2 structure without any significant change in the structure that would have been affected by Co substitution. Room temperature magnetization results showed a ferromagnetic behavior of the Ti0.93Co0.07O2 nanoparticles, having their hysteresis loop in the range of -2500Oe