Synthesis of high surface area zinc chromate spinel with mesopore network from Zn–Cr-layered double hydroxide precursor

A strategy to synthesize zinc chromate (ZnCr2O4) spinel mesopore networks with high specific surface area has been developed, using a single-source Zn–Cr layered double hydroxide as precursor. This approach involves calcination of precursor at 500 °C or above, followed by selective leaching of the self-generated zinc oxide template from the resultant calcined products. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), TEM, and nitrogen sorption analysis. The result indicates that the formation of ZnCr2O4 spinel requires a low temperature and short calcination time, due to uniform distribution of metal cations in precursor at an atomic level. Furthermore, pure ZnCr2O4 obtained at 500 °C has a three-dimensional mesopore network structure with narrow pore size distribution and high surface area up to 123 m2 g−1.