Structural transformation and electrochemical characterisation of cobalt hydroxide carbonate nanostructures

Cobalt hydroxide is considered one of the promising materials for the fabrication of various electrodes and electrochemical devices. However, detailed information on the structural transformation of cobalt hydroxide remains scarce. In this study, cobalt hydroxide intercalated with carbonate anions was synthesised in different phase structures and morphologies, including non-crystal nanosheets and single-crystal nanorods and nanosheets, using amino acid (glycine) molecules. The transformation of phases and morphologies was time dependent and directed by glycine molecules, accompanied by the formation of rodlike-embryo intermediates. The samples were characterised by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Furthermore, the electrochemical property of cobalt hydroxide carbonate nanostructures was characterised by cyclic voltammetry measurement, suggesting their preferential application as supercapacitor materials.