Effect of Solvent on the Structural Properties of Iron and Cobalt Oxides

Cobalt oxide (Co3O4) and iron oxide (Fe2O3) powders were obtained utilizing conventional precipitation method with ammonium hydroxide as precipitation agent. The effect of solvent (water and ethanol) and calcination temperature on both Co3O4 and Fe2O3 on the structural and chemical properties were analyzed. All the obtained powders were calcinated for eliminating the residuals at 500 °C for 2 h and were studied utilizing Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) characterizations. From Raman analysis results evident that cobalt and iron oxide powders synthesized utilizing ethanol as solvent shows higher crystallinity degree, which is related to the increase in the electrostatic interaction. Also, Raman analysis confirms that the amorphous phase of all the synthesized powders transforms to crystalline phase after calcination. XRD analysis of calcinated Co3O4 and Fe2O3 powders reveals the cubic and pure hematite crystalline structures, respectively. TEM analysis confirms the crystallite size and shape of the synthesized Co3O4 and Fe2O3 powders. From all the synthesized powders, the crystallite size obtained with ethanol as solvent is relatively smaller than powders synthesized with water as solvent. Detailed structural analysis of Co3O4 and Fe2O3 powders is reported in this work.