Cobalt(II,III) oxide

Summary

Cobalt(II,III) oxide is the most prevalent of cobalt's various oxides. The oxide is typically found in ores alongside containing nickel, arsenic, sulfur, and manganese. These ores can be found in great quantities in Canada, Southern Africa, and Morocco among other locales.

This oxide has a gunmetal gray appearance and is typically distributed in a powdered form.

Derivative Compounds

Reactions of Cobalt(II,III) oxide can yield other oxides with similar characteristics:

When heated in the presence of excess oxygen:

Co₃O_4(s) + O_2(g) → 3 Co₂O_3(s)

The reaction yields Cobalt(III) Oxide.

Health Issues

RTECS recognizes Cobalt(II,III) oxide as a tumorigen in oral LD50 trials with lethal doses of greater than 5g/kg per day in rats. This is characteristic with other oxides of cobalt