▁mon ox ide ▁and ▁mag nes ium ▁carbon ate ▁form . ▁ ▁The ▁carbon ▁mon ox ide ▁then ▁ox id izes ▁to ▁carbon ▁dio x ide ▁and ▁the ▁mag nes ium ▁carbon ate ▁decom poses ▁further ▁to ▁mag nes ium ▁ox ide ▁and ▁carbon ▁dio x ide . ▁ ▁M g CO ▁→ ▁M g CO ▁+ ▁CO ▁ ▁CO ▁+ ▁ 1 / 2 O 2 ▁→ ▁CO 2 ▁ ▁M g CO ▁→ ▁M g O ▁+ ▁CO 2 ▁ ▁Mag nes ium ▁ox al ate ▁di h yd rate ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁synth esis ▁of ▁n ano ▁s ized ▁mag nes ium ▁ox ide . ▁ ▁Mag nes ium ▁ox ide ▁is ▁important ▁because ▁it ▁is ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁catal yst , ▁ref ract ory ▁materials , ▁ad s orb ents , ▁super con duct ors , ▁and ▁ferro elect ric ▁materials . ▁ ▁N ano ▁s ized ▁particles ▁of ▁mag nes ium ▁ox ide ▁are ▁optimal ▁for ▁some ▁of ▁these ▁uses ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁larger ▁surface ▁area ▁to ▁volume ▁ratio ▁as ▁compared ▁with ▁larger ▁particles . ▁ ▁Most ▁common ▁synth eses ▁of ▁mag nes ium ▁ox ide ▁produce ▁fairly ▁large ▁particles , ▁however , ▁the ▁sol - gel ▁synth esis ▁using ▁mag nes ium ▁ox al ate ▁produces ▁highly ▁stable ▁n ano ▁s ized ▁particles ▁of ▁mag nes ium ▁ox ide . ▁ ▁The ▁sol - gel ▁synth esis ▁involves ▁combining ▁a ▁mag nes ium ▁salt , ▁or ▁in ▁this ▁case ▁mag nes ium ▁ox al