Self-Assembled Cobalt Oxide Nanocrystals with Tetrahedral Shape
Nanocrystal materials are an emerging research field of chemistry, physics and materials science. The size and shape specificity of nanocrystals suggests them as building blocks for constructing selfassembly passivated nanocrystals superlattices (NCS's) or nanocrystals arrays (NCA) [1-6]. In this paper, NCAs of CoO with controlled tetrahedral shape are reported and their structural stability is examined by in-situ TEM.Cobalt oxide nanocrystals were synthesized by chemical decomposition of Co2(CO)8 in toluene under oxygen atmosphere, as given in detail elsewhere [1].Sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (Na(AOT)) was added as a surface active agent, forming an ordered monolayer passivation (called the thiolate) over the nanocrystal surface. The particle size was controlled by adjusting the wt.% ratio between the precursor and Na(AOT). The as-prepared solution contained Co, CoO and possibly C03O4 nanoparticles, and pure CoO nanoparticles were separated by applying a small magnetic field, which is generated by a horseshoe permanent magnet in vertical direction.