Photocatalytic Activity and Nano Structural Investigation on Co3O4 Nanoparticles

Abstract

In this study, Co₃O₄ nanostructure is synthesized from the Co(NO₃)2.6H₂O reactant through co-precipitation technique, and then is calcined at different calcination temperatures (CTs).The XRD peak broadening and its corresponding properties, such as lattice stress, dislocation density, X-ray density, specific area of cubic Co₃O₄ nanocrystallites, and deformation energy density are analyzed using uniform deformation model (UDM), uniform deformation stress model (UDSM), uniform deformation energy density model (UDEDM), and size-strain plot (SSP) method. Based on the XRD results, the strain of the nanocrystallites increases with the increase of CT. The lattice, structural properties, and morphology of the nanoparticles (NPs) during the CT are studied. NPs calcined at 700 ^oC show the most lattice strain, stress, and deformation energy, and the least X-ray density and specific area. The photocatalytic activity of Co₃O₄(NPs) is specified by the decoloration of methylene blue (MB). Based on the results, the Co₃O₄NPs calcined at 700 ^oC show the most photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the activation energy of NPs, surface topography, pore size distribution, specific surface area, and crystallization of phases, during thermal treatment, are investigated by the BJH and BET methods.