Charged metallopolymers as universal precursors for versatile cobalt materials

A facile phase-transfer ion-exchange strategy was used to prepare cationic cobaltocenium-containing polyelectrolytes with different counterions. These cobalt-containing polymers were used to prepare cobalt-based materials, including cobalt metal, cobalt phosphide, cobalt monoxide, cobalt-iron hybrids, and cobalt ferrite. Block copolymers and polymer brushes were also used to prepare cobalt-based nanoparticles and nanowires.