Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.59, No.23, 16936-16943, 2020
Synthesis, Structure, and Electrochemical Properties of Some Cobalt Oxalates
Transition-metal oxalates have wide applications in magnetics, photoemission, electrochemistry, etc. Herein, using hydrothermal reactions, five cobalt(II) oxalates, Na2Co2(C2O4)(3)center dot 2H(2)O (I), Na2Co(C2O4)(2)center dot 8H(2)O (II), KLi3Co(C2O4)(3)Li4Co(C2O4)(3) (IV), and (NH4)(2)Co-2(C2O4)F-4 (V) have been synthesized, and their structures are determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction or Rietveld refinement of powder X-ray diffraction data. Notably, IV and V are identified for the first time. The structures of these cobalt oxalates are versatile, covering 0D, 1D, 2D, and 3D frameworks, while the coordination environments of Co2+ centers are uniquely distorted octahedra. As representative examples, I and III are investigated as cathode materials for secondary batteries. Both exhibited electrochemical activity despite large cell polarization. The present study enriches the transition-metal oxalate family and provides new options for energy storage materials.