Hydrothermal synthesis of monodisperse α-Fe2O3 nanocubes

AbstractMonodisperse α-Fe2O3 nanocubes with a mean size of 70 nm have been successfully synthesised by a hydrothermal process using Fe(NO3)3 and NaOH as raw materials. The morphology and nanostructure of products were characterised by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that reaction temperature had a remarkable effect on the morphology of the α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Furthermore, α-FeOOH was generated as the intermediate during the hydrothermal dehydration reaction and the nanocrystals experienced a complex time-dependent evolution. For the hydrothermal synthesis of α-Fe2O3 nanocubes, the optimum temperature and reaction time were 180°C and 6 hours, respectively. In addition, the products obtained rapid purification via a heat treatment at 600°C for 1 hour.Keywords: α-Fe2O3NanocubesHydrothermal synthesisα-FeOOHNanoparticles