What is "cobalt oxide"

Cobalt oxide may refer to

• Cobalt(II) oxide (cobaltous oxide) - CoO
• Cobalt(III) oxide (cobaltic oxide) - CoO
• Cobalt(II,III) oxide - CoO

Cobalt(II) oxide or cobalt monoxide is an inorganic compound that appears as olive-green to red crystals, or as a greyish or black powder. It is used extensively in the ceramics industry as an additive to create blue colored glazes and enamels as well as in the chemical industry for producing cobalt(II) salts.

Cobalt (III) oxide is the inorganic compound with the formula of CoO. Most commonly used in bleach. Although only two oxides of cobalt are well characterized, CoO and CoO, procedures claiming to give CoO have been described. Thus treatment of Co(II) salts such as cobalt(II) nitrate with an aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite (also known as bleach) gives a black solid. Some formulations of the catalyst hopcalite contain "CoO".

Cobalt(II,III) oxide is inorganic compound with the formula CoO. It is one of two well characterized cobalt oxides. It is a black antiferromagnetic solid. As a mixed valence compound, its formula is sometimes written as CoCoO and sometimes as CoO•CoO.