Preparation, characterization and CO oxidation of nanometer Co3O4

Various nanometer Co3O4 samples were prepared and the catalytic performance of CO oxidation were examined. It was found that the activities of the cat alysts were greatly changed with variation of the preparation methods and p retreatment conditions. Among the samples tested, Co3O4 prepared by using d odecylbenzene sulfonic acid sodium salt (DBS) as the surfactant, calcined a t 300 degrees C showed the highest activity and it was able to oxidize comp letely CO even at -78 degrees C. Characterization of these samples by XRD a nd BET means showed that the catalytic activity increased with the decrease of the average particle size, suggests that the average particle size of n anometer Co3O4 samples is the main controlling factor of the catalytic acti vity.