Topotactic Synthesis of Porous Cobalt Ferrite Platelets from a Layered Double Hydroxide Precursor and Their Application in Oxidation Catalysis.

Monocrystalline, yet porous mosaic platelets of cobalt ferrite, CoFe O , can be synthesized from a layered double hydroxide (LDH) precursor by thermal decomposition. Using an equimolar mixture of Fe , Co , and Fe during co-precipitation, a mixture of LDH, (Fe Co ) Fe (OH) (CO ) ⋅m H O, and the target spinel CoFe O can be obtained in the precursor. During calcination, the remaining Fe fraction of the LDH is oxidized to Fe leading to an overall Co :Fe ratio of 1:2 as required for spinel crystallization.