Synthesis, Morphology and Enhanced Optical Properties of Novel GdxCo3O4 Nanostructures

Abstract: In the present studies, gadolinium doped cobalt oxide nanostructures (1 wt. %, 5 wt. % and 10 wt. %) were synthesized by co-precipitation method. The samples were characterized by SEM (scanning electron microscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction spectroscopy), UV-Visible spectroscopy. UV-Visible exhibited maximum absorption at 440.81 nm for Gd(10% wt)Co3O4 Band gap energy was calculated using Tauc plots and it was observed that band gap energy decreased from 7.74 eV to 2.64 eV upon increasing the doping percentage of Gd to Co3O4. The crystallinity of the Gd(10% wt) Co3O4 NS increased as compared with Gd(1% wt)Co3O4 NS. SEM morphology revealed average particle size were between 95 nm to 78 nm uniformly distributed over Co3O4 NS.