Topotaxial growth of α-Fe2O3 nanowires on iron substrate in thermal annealing method

Abstract

A detail cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy of as-grown α-Fe2O3 nanowire sample, synthesized on iron substrate by thermal annealing method, was carried out to understand the mechanism of growth in this system. Iron undergoes sequential oxidation to form a layered structure of Fe/FeO/Fe3O4/α-Fe2O3. α-Fe2O3 nanowires grow on to the top of α-Fe2O3 layer. It was found that subsequent oxide layers grow topotaxially on the grains of iron, which results in a direct orientation relationship between the α-Fe2O3 nanowire and the parent grain of iron. The results also showed that the grains of α-Fe2O3 layer, which were uniquely oriented in [110] direction, undergo highly anisotropic growth to form the nanowire. This anisotropic growth occurs at a twin interface, given by (−11−1), in the α-Fe2O3 layer. It was concluded that the growth at twin interface could be the main driving factor for such anisotropic growth. These observations are not only helpful in understanding the growth mechanism of α-Fe2O3 nanowires, but it also demonstrates a way of patterning the nanowires by controlling the texture of iron substrate.