Rapid Effects of precursors on the phase, magnetic and photocatalytic properties of nano Fe2O3 synthesized by low temperature calcination

By calcining ferric acetylacetonate (Fe(ACAC)(3)), Fe(NO3)(3.9)H2O and FeCl3.6H2O in air at 300 degrees C for 5 h, maghemite (gamma-Fe2O3) nanoparticles, hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) nanoparticles and alpha-Fe2O3 nanoflakes were synthesized, respectively. The gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticles demonstrated far stronger magnetism (remanent magnetization (Mr) = 9.9 emu/g) than alpha-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (Mr = 0.06 emu/g) and nanoflakes (Mr = 0.13 emu/g) at room tem-perature. For photocatalytic reduction of aqueous Cr(VI) in the presence of visible-light and citric acid, the performance of different Fe2O3 samples was found to be in the order of alpha-Fe2O3 from FeCl3.6H2O > gamma-Fe2O3 from Fe(ACAC)(3) > hydrothermally synthesized alpha-Fe2O3 nanorods > alpha-Fe2O3 from Fe(NO3)(3.9)H2O > hydrothermally synthesized alpha-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. This work reveals the decisive role of precursors in the phase, magnetic and photocatalytic properties of low temperature calcination-synthesized Fe2O3. The phase-tunable synthesis of nano Fe2O3 by low temperature calcination of easily available precursors is simple, cost-effective and practical for large scale industrial production.

Automated summary

By calcining different precursors at low temperatures, Fe2O3 nanoparticles with tunable phase, magnetic and photocatalytic properties can be synthesized. Among the samples, gamma-Fe2O3 from Fe(ACAC)(3) demonstrated stronger magnetism and better photocatalytic performance.