Controlled formation of iron oxide nanoparticles by pulse-modulated RF discharge at atmospheric pressure

Abstract

Iron oxide nanoparticles of various sizes have been experimentally obtained in a capacitively coupled plasma of a radio frequency (RF) discharge at atmospheric pressure in constant and pulse-modulated modes of the RF discharge. Elemental analysis of the obtained nanoparticles by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and IR Fourier spectroscopy shows that the iron oxide nanoparticles are a mixture of FeO (II) and Fe2O3 (III) oxides. In the constant mode of discharge burning, the obtained nanoparticles with an estimated average size of 5–50 nm are formed as agglomerates of tangled chains. In the pulse-modulated mode of discharge burning, the particles with an estimated average size of 330 or 640 nm depending on the mode of discharge modulation are obtained.