Chemical synthesis of alpha-cobalt hydroxide

Precipitation reactions using ammonia yield a novel cobalt hydroxide phase that is structurally and compositionally similar to alpha-nickel hydroxide. The use of other synthetic methods yields the well-known beta-Co(OH)(2). T he slab composition, mode of anion inclusion, and thermal behavior of the h ydroxides obtained by ammonia precipitation are similar to those of alpha-n ickel hydroxide; however, the materials are poorly ordered. A DIFFaX simula tion of the powder X-ray diffraction patterns offers the best visual march with the observed patterns for a 50% stacking disorder and a disc radius be tween 100 and 1000 Angstrom. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd, All rights rese rved.