Evaluation of two processing routes for the synthesis of molybdenum oxide with cobalt addition

Abstract

Molybdenum oxides are very interesting technologic materials, which present several industrial uses. The addition of a second metal may enhance its catalytic properties as well as change electronic behavior. Several methodologies for adding a second metal can be found in the literature, however, the comparison between them is hardly ever found. Here two processing routes were tested for the synthesis of molybdenum oxide with cobalt addition: Solid-state and wet routes. Ammonium molybdate and cobalt nitrate were used as starting materials and cobalt addition was carried out before calcination. Starting materials were characterized by SEM, FTIR, XRF, and XRD. Calcination products were evaluated by SEM, XRF, XRD and UV-vis spectroscopy. Calcined products whose doping was performed via solid-state presented smaller crystal size (∼25 nm), larger cobalt retention (deviation, δ ∼10%) and slightly smaller band gap in comparison to those doped via the wet route (∼40 nm and δ>11%).