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Characterization Of Sol-Gel-Derived Cobalt Oxide Xerogels As Electrochemical Capacitors, Chuan Lin, James A. Ritter, Branko N. Popov

Faculty Publications

Very fine cobalt oxide xerogel powders were prepared using a unique solution chemistry associated with the sol-gel process. The effect of thermal treatment on the surface area, pore volume, crystallinity, particle structure, and corresponding electrochemical properties of the resulting xerogels was investigated and found to have significant effects on all of these properties. The xerogel remained amorphous as Co(OH)₂ up to 160°C, and exhibited maxima in both the surface area and pore volume at this temperature. With an increase in the temperature above 200°C, both the surface area and pore volume decreased sharply, because the amorphous Co(OH)₂ decomposed …