Microwave Metathesis Synthesis and Characterization of TMPO4 (TM = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu)

The transition metal phosphates (TMPO4, M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) are synthesized via microwave metathesis synthesis (MMS) with by-product sodium chloride which drives the MMS reaction to forward direction by dint of high lattice energy. The synthesis procedure is achieved at 850 W powers in a domestic microwave oven for a short time as 10 minutes. The structural, morphological and thermal properties of CrPO4, MnPO4, FePO4, CoPO4, NiPO4 and CuPO4 powders are dissolved by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) analysis and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The unit cell parameters and crystal systems of the products are determined by Rietveld refinement method via powder X-ray diffraction data. All the samples with orthorhombic crystal system have same homogeneity of distorted circular micron size particles and relatively higher thermal stability than the other metal phosphates.