Precursor method—A nonconventional route for the synthesis of ZnCr2O4 spinel Original Research Article

Zinc chromites (ZnCr2O4) have been synthesized via thermal decomposition of (NH4)2[ZnCr2(C4O6H4)4(OH)2]∙9H2O and (NH4)3[ZnCr2(C6O7H11)4(OH)7]∙H2O precursors. The complex precursors have been characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). ZnCr2O4 samples have been investigated and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) and photolumininescence (PL) spectroscopy and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) N2 adsorption–desorption analyses. Nanoscaled (∼60 nm) single-phase zinc chromites were obtained by heating the precursors at 900 °C for 1 h. The influence of thermal treatment of tartarate precursor on structural, morphological and textural properties of ZnCr2O4 is discussed.