Organic Additive-Mediated Synthesis of Novel Cobalt(II) Hydroxides

Electrochemical precipitation of cobalt(II) hydroxide from nitrate solutions containing organic molecules, such as glucose, fructose, lactose, glycerol, and citric acid, yields a new modification of cobalt(II) hydroxide (a= 3.09 ± 0.03 Å, c= 23.34 ± 0.36 Å) that is isostructural with α-nickel hydroxide; precipitation in the absence of organic additives gives the stable, brucite-like, βCo(OH)2.