Template-free synthesis and photocatalytic properties of novel, Fe2O3 hollow spheres

dNovel Fe2O3 hollow spheres with mesopores on the surface were first synthesized on a large scale by a facile and efficient hydrothermal process, without templates in the system. The samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and N-2 adsorption-desorption. When the amorphous Fe2O3 hollow spheres were used as the photocatalytic material, they performed better than the nanocrystal samples. This synthetic procedure is straightforward and thus facilitates mass production of Fe2O3 hollow spheres.