Graphene-like cobalt selenide nanostructures: template-free solvothermal synthesis, characterization and wastewater treatment

Hexagonal Co0.85Se with Ni0.85Se-type structure has been successfully synthesized without any surfactants by a solvothermal reduction route. SEM observation indicated that the obtained Co0.85Se nanostructures were of graphene-like morphology with a thickness less than 10 nm. The influence of the reaction temperature and the molar ratios of reactants has been studied in detail, and the results reveal the two reaction conditions play a crucial role in determining the final morphologies of the samples. The as-prepared product is determined to be ferromagnetic at room temperature from magnetic measurements. And the product with high specific surface area could be used as an adsorbent in wastewater treatment, which may be very useful for the environment.