Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


Print Feedback Export to File
1689970 
Journal Article 
Amorphous iron(III) oxide--a review 
Machala, L; Zboril, R; Gedanken, A 
2007 
Yes 
Journal of Physical Chemistry B
ISSN: 1520-6106
EISSN: 1520-5207 
111 
16 
4003-4018 
English 
The syntheses of amorphous Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles of varying size and morphology, their magnetic properties, crystallization mechanism, and applications are reviewed herein. The synthetic routes are classified according to the nature of the sample (powders, nanocomposites, films, coated particles). The contributions of various experimental techniques to the characterization of an amorphous Fe(2)O(3) phase are considered in this review, including some key experimental markers, allowing its distinction from nanocrystalline "X-ray amorphous" polymorphs (maghemite, hematite). We discuss the thermally induced crystallization mechanisms depending on transformation temperature, atmosphere, and the size of the amorphous particles that predetermine the structure of the primarily formed crystalline polymorph. The controversial description of the magnetic behavior, including an interpretation of the low-temperature and in-field Mössbauer spectra, is analyzed.