Low Temperature Nanocasting of Ultrafine Hematite Nanoparticles using Mesoporous Silica Molds

• Iron oxide (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles with very small size, high crystallinity, and narrow size distribution were synthesized by infiltration of Fe(NO3)3.9H2O as an oxide precursor into mesoporous silica (SBA-15 and SBA-16) molds using a wetimpregnation technique. High resolution transmission electron microscopy shows that during the hydrothermal treatment of the precursor at 140 °C for 2 days, stable α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles inside the silica pores are formed. Subsequent leaching out of the silica template by NaOH resulted in well dispersed nanoparticles with an average diameter of ~ 4 nm.

Nyckelord

α-Fe2O3

Nanoparticles

Nanocasting

Mesoporous silica

SBA-15

SBA-16

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NATURVETENSKAP

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