Are ionic liquids really a boon for the synthesis of inorganic materials? A general method for the fabrication of nanosized metal fluorides

This article presents a simple and fast method to synthesize metal fluorides such as FeF2, CoF2, ZnF2, LaF3, YF3, SrF2, and metal oxide Fe2O3 having different morphologies. The synthesis is carried out in an ionic liquid solvent using a domestic microwave oven. The products are characterized with the help of an X-ray diffraction method. The different morphologies of the products are studied with the help of a high-resolution transmission electron microscope and a high-resolution scanning electron microscope. The change in the oxidation state of the reactant Fe(III) to the product Fe(II) is confirmed through Mossbauer studies. The presence of carbon and its application as a reducing agent is illustrated by Raman spectroscopy.