Fabrication of p-p type nanocomposite of NiO/Co3O4 and CuO/Co3O4 with different contents

Abstract

Two nanocomposite oxides, NiO/Co3O4 and CuO/Co3O4, have been considered. These nanocomposite oxides of (1-x)NiO/xCo3O4 and (1-x)CuO/xCo3O4 with different contents of (x = 30, 50 and 70 wt%) have produced successfully using microwave irradiation. The resulted powders of pure and mixed nanoparticles (NPs) have been characterized by thermogravimetry (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). It can be observed in TGA that the mass loss end of Co3O4, NiO and CuO NPs is at three stages until reach to the decomposition of Co(OH)2, Ni(OH)2 and Cu(OH)2, respectively. The process of mass loss is confirmed by endo- and exo- thermic peaks in DTA thermogram. The structural properties of these nanocomposites have been studied. The XRD result confirmed the formation of pure NPs as well as the nanocomposites of NiO/Co3O4 or CuO/Co3O4 NPs. Size of nanocomposites dependence on both type and concentrations of dopant have been studied. The formation of p-p type has been confirmed by structural investigations.