Nanostructure copper oxocobaltate fabricated by co-precipitation route using copper and cobalt nitrate as precursors: characterization by combined diffuse reflectance and FT infrared spectra.

Nanostructure copper oxocobaltate has been fabricated by a co-precipitation route using copper and cobalt nitrate as precursors. The physicochemical properties of copper cobaltate have been characterized via X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The X-ray diffraction patterns indicates the presence of a spinel crystalline phase, (Cu0.30Co0.70)Co2O4, copper oxocobaltate with face-centered cubic lattice and Fd3m space group. FESEM images also illustrated a typical hexagonal morphology with particle size 25 nm, showing a good nanoscale crystalline morphology, which corresponds well with their XRD results. The FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of hydroxyl groups bonded to the metals, stretching vibration of the cobalt-oxygen bond in an octahedral coordination and the characteristic band assigned to the vibration of Cu-O bond. UV-VIS diffuse reflectance spectrum shows a broad band over the whole visible range and broad band between 200 nm and 390 nm ascribed to the ligand to metal charge transfer.