The solubility of Co in TiO2 anatase and rutile and its effect on the magnetic properties

Co-doped anatase and rutile bulk-samples prepared by the sol-gel technique are found to be paramagnetic at room-temperature. Only further annealing in Ar/H{sub 2} gas results in a ferromagnetic behavior. X-ray diffraction and electron-microscope studies reveal for low doping levels =4%. The observed Co oxides are reduced by Ar/H{sub 2} to Co metal. The room-temperature ferromagnetism can therefore be traced back to a segregation of metallic Co. - Graphical abstract: Co-doped anatase and rutile bulk-samples prepared by the sol-gel technique are paramagnetic at room-temperature. Further annealing in Ar/H{sub 2} gas results in a ferromagnetic behavior. X-ray diffraction and electron-microscope…