Chemical Control of Structural and Magnetic Properties of Cobalt Nanoparticles

Abstract

Oxide-free cobalt nanoparticles (NPs) of 2.5−3 nm diameter have been synthesized in the presence of di-isobutyl aluminum hydride (DiBAH), a potential alumina source, from two different precursors: Co(η 3 C 8 H 13 )(η 4 C 8 H 12 ) and Co[N(SiMe 3 ) 2 ] 2 . The NPs display very different structural and magnetic features, which are related to the difference in chemical environment at the NPs surface.