LOW-TEMPERATURE PREPARATION OF MANGANESE COBALTITE SPINELS -LESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-X-LESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-1)]

A route of low temperature preparation of manganese cobaltite spinels MnxCo3-xO4 (0 less-than-or-equal-to X less-than-or-equal-to 1) is desc ribed. Gels obtained by addition of n-butylamine to mixed Co2+ and Mn2 + solutions, after aged at 80-degrees and heated at 200-degrees-C corr espond to the spinel-type material. Manganese cobaltite MnCo2O4 obtain ed by this procedure shows surface area (BET) of 44 m2/g, and a mean c rystallite size of 11 nm. Cell parameter of MnCo2O4 is smaller that th e reported for this material obtained by the ceramic procedure; it see ms to indicate the existence of Mn3+ in the spinel-type phase when it is prepared by this low temperature method.