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Influence of the preparation method on the morphology of templated NiCo2O4 spinel

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Abstract

The synthesis of NiCo2O4 spinel by several nanocasting strategies (i.e., multi-step nanocasting, one-step nanocasting and soft-templating), in which nickel and cobalt nitrates are used as precursors and Pluronic P123 as surfactant, is explored. First, in the multi-step nanocasting, the effect of the impregnation method (evaporation, solid–liquid and two-solvent) of the SBA-15 silica template on the morphology of NiCo2O4 replica is investigated. The evaporation method seems to be the best choice to obtain mesoporous NiCo2O4 powder which, after calcination at 375 °C and subsequent template removal, displays the highest surface area (93.1 m2/g). We have also checked the feasibility of the one-step nanoscating approach for the synthesis of ordered NiCo2O4 arrays, though this methodology entails severe difficulties, mainly related to the different decomposition temperature of the nitrate precursors and the P123 surfactant. Finally, randomly oriented, aggregated NiCo2O4 nanoparticles are obtained by means of P123 surfactant-assisted soft-templating approach.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank BASF Corporation for kindly supplying the P123 precursor and MATGAS 2000 AIE for the provision of BET facilities. We acknowledge funding from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN) and the Generalitat de Catalunya through MAT 2010-20616-C02-02 and 2009-SGR-1292 projects, respectively. E.P. is indebted to the DURSI of the Generalitat de Catalunya for the postdoctoral Beatriu de Pinós fellowship. M.D.B. was partially supported by an ICREA ACADEMIA award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departament de Física, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain

    Moisés Cabo, Eva Pellicer, Emma Rossinyol, Pau Solsona, Santiago Suriñach & Maria Dolors Baró

  2. Servei de Microscòpia, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain

    Emma Rossinyol, Onofre Castell & Maria Dolors Baró

Authors
  1. Moisés Cabo
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  2. Eva Pellicer
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  3. Emma Rossinyol
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  4. Pau Solsona
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  5. Onofre Castell
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  6. Santiago Suriñach
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  7. Maria Dolors Baró
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Correspondence to Eva Pellicer.

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Cabo, M., Pellicer, E., Rossinyol, E. et al. Influence of the preparation method on the morphology of templated NiCo2O4 spinel. J Nanopart Res 13, 3671–3681 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-011-0287-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-011-0287-1

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