Synthesis and Characterization of Monodisperse Iron Oxides Microspheres

Monodisperse α-Fe 2 O 3 microspheres of different shapes have been selectively synthesized through the hydrothermal process. The products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. All the α-Fe 2 O 3 microspheres have good dispersibility, uniform size, and well-defined shapes. The ferromagnetic investigation of the egg-like α-Fe 2 O 3 microspheres gave extremely high coercivity of 3800 Oe at room temperature. The formation mechanism of these microspheres was preliminarily discussed. Nanorods and branched nanorods of a hydroxide precursor Fe 8 O 8 (OH) 8 Cl 1.35 have been captured. Monodisperse Fe 3 O 4 microspheres have also been prepared, and their magnetization saturation value is about 40.1 emu/g.