Qureshi Akbar Ali, Javed Sofia, Javed Hafiz Muhammad Asif, Jamshaid Muhammad, Ali Usman, Akram Muhammad Aftab
School of Chemical & Materials Engineering, National University of Sciences & Technology, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60000, Pakistan.
Nanomaterials (Basel). 2022 May 11;12(10):1635. doi: 10.3390/nano12101635.
Iron oxide nanoparticles, especially hematite (α-FeO) and magnetite (FeO) have attained substantial research interest in various applications of green and sustainable energy harnessing owing to their exceptional opto-magneto-electrical characteristics and non-toxicity. In this study, we synthesized high-purity hematite and magnetite nanoparticles from a facile top-down approach by employing a high-energy ball mill followed by ultrasonication. A systematic investigation was then carried out to explore the structural, morphological, thermal, optoelectrical, and magnetic properties of the synthesized samples. The experimental results from scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction corroborated the formation of highly crystalline hematite and magnetite nanoparticles with average sizes of ~80 nm and ~50 nm, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed remarkable results on the thermal stability of the newly synthesized samples. The optical studies confirmed the formation of a single-phase compound with the bandgaps dependent on the size of the nanoparticles. The electrochemical studies that utilized cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques verified these iron oxide nanoparticles as electroactive species which can enhance the charge transfer process with high mobility. The hysteresis curves of the samples revealed the paramagnetic behavior of the samples with high values of coercivity. Thus, these optimized materials can be recommended for use in future optoelectronic devices and can prove to be potential candidates in the advanced research of new optoelectronic materials for improved energy devices.
氧化铁纳米颗粒，特别是赤铁矿（α-Fe₂O₃）和磁铁矿（Fe₃O₄），由于其优异的光磁电特性和无毒特性，在绿色和可持续能源利用的各种应用中引起了广泛的研究兴趣。在本研究中，我们采用高能球磨法结合超声处理，通过一种简便的自上而下方法合成了高纯度的赤铁矿和磁铁矿纳米颗粒。然后进行了系统的研究，以探索合成样品的结构、形态、热学、光电和磁性特性。扫描电子显微镜和X射线衍射的实验结果证实，分别形成了平均尺寸约为80纳米和50纳米的高度结晶的赤铁矿和磁铁矿纳米颗粒。热重分析揭示了新合成样品热稳定性的显著结果。光学研究证实形成了一种单相化合物，其带隙取决于纳米颗粒的尺寸。利用循环伏安法和电化学阻抗谱技术进行的电化学研究证实，这些氧化铁纳米颗粒是电活性物种，能够以高迁移率增强电荷转移过程。样品的磁滞回线显示了样品具有高矫顽力值的顺磁行为。因此，这些优化材料可推荐用于未来的光电器件，并可能成为新型光电器件先进研究中改进能量器件的潜在候选材料。
