OICC Press Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry 2193-8865 3 1 (December 2013) 2013 04 20 Simple preparation of ferromagnetic Co3O4 nanoparticles by thermal dissociation of the [CoII(NH3)6](NO3)2 complex at low temperature 10.1186/2193-8865-3-16 EN Saeid Farhadi Department of Chemistry, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, 68135-465, IR Kolsoum Pourzare Department of Chemistry, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, 68135-465, IR Shokooh Sadeghinejad Department of Chemistry, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, 68135-465, IR Journal Article 2013 04 20 Abstract Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles were prepared using [Co(NH 3 ) 6 ](NO 3 ) 2 as a starting material via a solid-state thermal decomposition route at low temperature (150°C). The product was characterized by thermal analysis (thermogravimetric/derivative thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis), X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area measurement, UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and magnetic measurements. The results confirmed that the nanoparticles are highly pure Co 3 O 4 with weak ferromagnetic properties. TEM images showed that the Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles have an average diameter size of around 13 nm. The optical spectrum indicated two direct bandgaps at 2.3 and 3.2 eV which are blueshifted relative to reported values for the bulk sample. By this fast and simple method, Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles can be produced without expensive and toxic solvents or complicated equipment.