US 12358810 B1Patent grantUnited States

Tunable Cobalt-Copper-Magnesium Oxide Nanocomposites

Official patent title

Co3O4/CuO/MgO and (Cu0.97Co0.03)O/MgO/CoO Nanocomposites and method of pechini sol-gel fabricating

Arabic title: مركبات نانوية من Co3O4/CuO/MgO و(Cu0.97Co0.03)O/MgO/CoO وطريقة تصنيعها بطريقة Pechini sol-gel

Invention

Problem

Preparing cobalt-copper-magnesium oxide nanocomposites with selected crystalline phases, particle dimensions, and elemental distribution requires controlled gel chemistry and calcination.

Why it matters

Controlled mixed-metal oxides can provide research platforms for catalysis, energy storage, and environmental remediation, where phase composition and surface structure influence behavior.

Approach

A Pechini sol-gel process combines magnesium nitrate, cobalt acetate, copper acetate, tartaric acid, and polyethylene glycol. Drying and different calcination windows produce either Co3O4/CuO/MgO or (Cu0.97Co0.03)O/MgO/CoO nanocomposites with specified crystallite and particle sizes.

Who may benefit

Potential beneficiaries include mixed-oxide manufacturers, catalyst developers, battery and supercapacitor researchers, environmental-material laboratories, and solid-state chemistry groups.

Potential value

One precursor formulation and temperature-controlled Pechini route can access two distinct cobalt-copper-magnesium oxide phase systems with characterized nanoscale structures.

Background

Mixed-metal oxide nanocomposites are studied because combining phases may alter catalytic, electrochemical, optical, or remediation behavior. Their reproducible preparation is difficult when precursor homogeneity, polymeric gel formation, thermal decomposition, and phase evolution are not controlled. The publication uses a Pechini route to produce two cobalt-copper-magnesium oxide systems at different calcination temperatures. It reports phase, morphology, and elemental characterization, but the supplied evidence does not include catalytic conversion, electrochemical storage, contaminant removal, durability, or comparative application results.

Technology overview

Tartaric acid, magnesium nitrate, cobalt acetate, copper acetate, and PEG 400 are mixed and heated at about 250 °C until dry. Calcination at roughly 550–650 °C yields a Co3O4/CuO/MgO composite with reported 50–70 nm crystallites and 75–95 nm granular particles. Calcination at roughly 750–850 °C yields a (Cu0.97Co0.03)O/MgO/CoO material with reported 45–65 nm crystallites and 140–170 nm particles. XRD, SEM, and elemental mapping characterize the products.

Potential applications

Mixed-metal oxide catalyst screening.
Candidate electrode materials for energy-storage research.
Environmental-remediation material studies.
Phase-controlled oxide powders for materials research.

Evidence-supported advantages

A common Pechini formulation can produce two phase systems.
Calcination temperature provides a defined route to phase selection.
Crystallite and particle-size ranges are specified for both products.
Structural, morphological, and elemental characterization are described.

Development stage

Laboratory synthesis with XRD, SEM, and elemental characterization is described; scale-up and functional application performance are not established.

Commercial opportunity

Specialty oxide, catalyst, and electrode-material developers may evaluate the process. Commercial value depends on repeatable phase purity, scale-up yield, furnace energy, precursor cost, powder safety, and application-specific benchmarking. Catalytic, storage, and remediation performance remain unreported and require independent verification before market claims.

Patent classifications

WIPO IPC

C01G51/04Compounds containing metals not covered by subclasses C01D or C01F

CPC

C01G51/04Compounds containing metals not covered by subclasses C01D or C01F
C01G3/02Compounds containing metals not covered by subclasses C01D or C01F
C01G51/40Compounds containing metals not covered by subclasses C01D or C01F
C01P2004/82Indexing scheme for structural and physical aspects of solid inorganic compounds
C01P2002/60Indexing scheme for structural and physical aspects of solid inorganic compounds
C01P2004/64Indexing scheme for structural and physical aspects of solid inorganic compounds

Inventors

First inventorEhab Abdelhamed Abdelrahman Ahmed

Keywords

cobalt oxide
copper oxide
magnesium oxide
nanocomposite
Pechini sol-gel
calcination
phase control
mixed-metal oxide

Patent document and drawings

The patent publication is mapped to this record. Patent drawings remain within that publication; no separately cleared public media package has been supplied.