Single-crystalline dodecahedral α-Fe2O3 particles with nanometer size: synthesis and characterization

Dodecahedral alpha-Fe2O3 particles enclosed by twelve (101) planes were synthesized under the assistance of F ions, and the particle size was controlled to about 150 nm by affecting the nucleation process of alpha-Fe2O3. It is interesting to find that its particle size to some extent depends on the second ligand (L) in [FeFa(L)(b)(OH)(c)(H2O)(6-a-b-c)]((3-a-b-c)+) ions, which are the real situation of Fe3+ ions in aqueous solution. The synthesized dodecahedral alpha-Fe2O3 nanoparticles show enhanced catalytic properties in the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP), and that can be attributed to the exposure of (101) planes and its small particle size.