Cobalt （Co） exists in significant quantities in naturally occurring manganese （Mn） oxides and alters the growth of Mn oxide crystals. Four-layered Mn oxides, Na-buserite （Na-bus） and three Co-doped Na-buserite samples prepared from oxidation of Mn（OH）2 with 5%, 10%, and 20% Co/（Mn ＋ Co） molar ratios （5Co-Na-bus, 10Co-Na-bus, and 20Co-Na-bus）, were used to prepare todorokite, a common Mn oxide on the Earth＇s surface, using Mg2＋/Co2＋ ions as a template. The results showed that todorokites could be obtained by reflux treatment of Mg2＋-exchanged non-doped Na-buserite and three Co-doped Na-buserites at atmospheric pressure. However, the formation of todorokites was prohibited by reflux treatment of Co2＋-exchanged Na-bus, 5Co-Na-bus, and 10Co-Na-bus samples. Instead, todorokite was obtained by the reflux treatment of Co2＋-exchanged 20Co-Na-bus samples under atmospheric pressure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that doped Co existed as Co3＋ in the MnOs layers of doped Na-buserites. The amount of substituted Co3＋ in the MnO6 layers may play a key role in the conversion of buserite to todorokite using Co2＋ ions as a template.
