Tailoring of crystal phase and Neel temperature of cobalt monoxides nanocrystals with synthetic approach conditions

Cobalt monoxide (CoO) nanocrystals were synthesized by thermal decomposition of cobalt oleate precursor in a high boiling point organic solvent 1-octadecene. The X-ray diffraction pattern and transmission electron microscopy studies suggest that pure face-centered-cubic (fcc) phase of CoO can be synthesized in the temperature range of 569-575 K. Thermolysis product at higher synthesis temperature 585 K is a mixture of fcc and hexagonal-closed-packed (hcp) phases. These nanocrystals are single crystals of CoO and exhibit mixture of two types of morphologies; one is nearly spherical with 5-25 nm diameter, and other one is 5-10 nm thick flake. The pure fcc-CoO nanocrystals show enhanced, and mixture of fcc- and hcp-CoO nanocrystals show reduced antiferromagnetic ordering temperature. Such results provide new opportunities for optimizing and enhancing the properties and performance of cobalt oxide nanomaterials. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.