IMPROVEMENT OF COERCIVITY IN COBALT-DOPED ANATASE TiO2 NANOPARTICLES HYDROTHERMALLY PREPARED
Anatase Ti 1-x Co x O 2 nanoparticles were prepared by a hydrothermal process at 180 °C. Ferromagnetic hysteresis loops of the as-prepared samples were measured at room temperature. The Ti 1-x Co x O 2 ( x = 0.0376) powder shows coercivity up to 700 Oe, which is the highest value reported for anatase Ti 1-x Co x O 2. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and magnetic measurement results provided evidence that Co was incorporated into TiO 2 lattice. Combined with the fact that the preparation was carried out in an oxidized environment starting from cobalt (II) in the oxidized state, it is suggested that the homogeneous doping of Co into the lattice of anatase should be responsible for the improvement of coercivity in anatase Ti 1-x Co x O 2 nanoparticles.