Controllable Synthesis of α-Fe2O3 Nanocubes with Size-Dependent Optical Performance

Abstract

The design and controllable synthesis of semiconductors at the nanoscale level is a critical strategy for adjusting the performance of catalysts. In this work, size-controlled [Formula: see text]-Fe2O3 with nanocubic structure is fabricated through a simple solvothermal method. The growth process of cubic [Formula: see text]-Fe2O3 nanocrystals is investigated by time-dependent solvothermal reaction experiments, which displays a typical Oswald ripening mechanism: flower-like nucleation, followed by growing and ripening of nuclei into different morphologies and sizes during the solvothermal process. The UV–vis absorption results revealed that [Formula: see text]-Fe2O3 nanocubes present a size-dependent optical property. The [Formula: see text]-Fe2O3-10h with an average particle size of 37[Formula: see text]nm exhibits good crystallinity, large specific surface area and high UV–vis light absorption, subsequently resulting in the highest photocatalytic efficiency together with excellent stability.