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Co1-xMnxO: Control of Crystal Lattice and Morphology at the Nanoscale

Thesis Defense

Sponsor(s):
Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

By: Sean Walsh
Doctoral Candidate
When: Tuesday, June 5, 2012
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Where: Space Science Building
337
Abstract: Diamond cuboid-, rhombohedron- and hexagon-shaped nanocrystals as well as branched rods of the solid solution Co1-xMnxO have been synthesized via a solvothermal synthetic route from manganese formate and cobalt acetate at elevated temperature. Rhombohedra and hexagons have dimensions no larger than 50 nm on the longest axis, rods have branches up to 150 nm long and cuboids grow up to 250 nm on a side. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction analysis show that these nanoparticles are single crystals of wurtzite-type and rock salt-type Co1-xMnxO. Varying the surfactant, water and precursor ratios allows control of particle size, morphology and stoichiometry. These results show that nanoparticle morphologies and crystal lattices arise from crystal growth and Ostwald ripening at different rates selecting for either small, smooth-surfaced wurtzite lattice particles or large, dendritically-grown rock salt lattice particles.