Synthesis of ${\text{Co}}_3{\text{O}}_4$ nanocubes by hydrothermal route and their photocatalytic property

Monodispersed ${\text{Co}}_3{\text{O}}_4$ nanocubes were prepared by a simple hydrothermal route with sodium pentanesulphonate, employing $\text{Co}({\text{NO}}_3{)}_2\cdot 6{\text{H}}_2\text{O}$ and ${\text{NH}}_3\cdot {\text{H}}_2\text{O}$ (28 wt%) as the starting reactants. The final product was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The as-prepared ${\text{Co}}_3{\text{O}}_4$ nanocubes could photocatalytically degrade organic dye Rhodamine B under irradiation of 365 nm ultraviolet light.