Synthesis of porous sheet-like Co3O4 microstructure by precipitation method and its potential applications in the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate

Porous sheet-like cobalt oxide (Co3O4) were successfully synthesized by precipitation method combined with calcination of cobalt hydroxide precursors. The structure, morphology and porosity properties of the products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurement. The as-prepared sheet-like microstructures were approximately 2–3 μm in average diameter, and the morphology of the cobalt hydroxide precursors was retained after the calcination process. However, it appeared a large number of uniform pores in the sheets after calcination. In order to calculate the potential catalytic activity, the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) has been analyzed, in which cobalt oxide played a role of an additive and the porous sheet-like Co3O4 microstructures exhibited high catalytic performance and considerable decrease in the thermal decomposition temperature of AP. Moreover, a formation mechanism for the sheet-like microstructures has been discussed.