A facile synthesis of Co3O4 nanoflakes: Magnetic and catalytic properties

Abstract Co 3 O 4 nanoflakes were successfully prepared using a thermal decomposition of precursor approach. The precursor nanoflakes are synthesized by a facile chemical precipitation method. Magnetic measurements reveal that the as-prepared Co 3 O 4 particles exhibit weak ferromagnetic properties. In addition, the prepared Co 3 O 4 nanoflakes electrode was then applied to study the electrocatalytic oxidation and reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). The results also demonstrate that Co 3 O 4 nanoflakes have great potential in sensor and biosensor applications. The catalytic activity of Co 3 O 4 nanoflakes on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) also has been studied. Results show that Co 3 O 4 plays a catalytic role on the thermal decomposition of AP.