Mechanistic studies on the conversion of dicobalt octacarbonyl into colloidal cobalt nanoparticles.

In situ ATR-FTIR monitoring has allowed the direct study of the effect of additives (trioctylphosphine oxide [TOPO] and oleic acid) on the kinetics and rate of the thermal decomposition of dicobalt octacarbonyl leading to the formation of colloidal cobalt nanoparticles (CoCNPs). The study has shown that additives usually considered as simple surfactants influence the rate and kinetics of the decomposition of dicobalt octacarbonyl. Several of the initial intermediates connecting Co2(CO)8 with CoCNPs have been identified, and a tentative mechanism for the formation of the colloidal nanoparticles has been proposed.