Facile synthesis of magnetic metal (Mn, Co, Fe, and Ni) oxide nanosheets

This paper demonstrated a simple, reproducible, and low-cost strategy of controlled synthesis of 2D magnetic Mn(2)O(3), Co(3)O(4), Fe(2)O(3) and NiO nanosheets. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). A kinetically controlled growth mechanism via a dissolution-recrystallization process has also been proposed. This method proves the advantage of synthesizing metal oxide nanosheets without employing catalysts, surfactants, templates, complex metal ligands or fatty-acids to assist growth. By using generic reactants and one solvent, this route yields high-purity oxides providing a baseline for precise characterization and property analysis. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.