Synthesis, Characterization, and Optimization of Co2SnO4 Nanoparticles via Co-precipitation Method

Nano-structured pure Co2SnO4 powders have been synthesized using the co-precipitation method in the presence of oleic acid (OA) as a capping agent. The Taguchi L4 statistical design was used to investigate the effect of the main parameters (i.e., OA concentration, calcination time, and calcination temperature) on Co2SnO4 formation, crystallite size, and morphology. Co2SnO4 particles were characterized by powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform of infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements. The formation of small and well-crystalline particles, on the order of 41.12-90.60 nm in crystal size, has been determined from XRD patterns and confirmed by SEM and DLS. The specific surface area was measured by a BET method to be 25.43 m2/g. The particle size of the product was observed by DLS to be in the range of 40-105 nm. The results indicated that calcination temperature has the most significant effect on the produced cobalt stannate crystal size.