Metal loading determines the stabilization pathway for Co2+ in titanate nanowires: ion exchange vs. cluster formation

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2013 Oct 14;15(38):15917-25. doi: 10.1039/c3cp51502h. Epub 2013 Aug 15.

Abstract

Co nanoparticles were produced and characterized on protonated titanate nanowires. Co deposits were obtained after low-temperature decomposition of Co2(CO)8 on titanate nanostructures. The carbonylation was carried out by vapor-phase adsorption in a fluidized bed reactor and the decarbonylation processes were followed by FT-IR spectroscopy and microbalance combined with temperature programmed reaction mass spectrometry. The band gap of Co-decorated titanate nanostructures determined by UV-VIS diffuse reflectance spectroscopy decreased sharply from 3.14 eV to 2.41 eV with increasing Co content up to 2 wt%. The Co-decorated titanate morphology was characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electron diffraction (ED). The chemical environment of Co deposition was studied by photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A certain amount of cobalt underwent an ion exchange process. Higher cobalt loadings led to the formation of nanosized-dispersed particles complexed to oxygen vacancies. The average sizes were found to be mostly between 2 and 6 nm. This size distribution and the measured band gap could be favorable regimes for some important low-temperature thermal- and photo-induced catalytic reactions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cobalt / chemistry*
  • Ion Exchange
  • Ions / chemistry
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Nanowires / chemistry*
  • Photoelectron Spectroscopy
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Temperature
  • Titanium / chemistry*

Substances

  • Ions
  • Cobalt
  • Titanium