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Characterization of hematite nanoparticles synthesized via two different pathways

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Abstract

Hematite is one of the most common and thermodynamically stable iron oxides found in both natural and anthropogenic systems. Owing to its ubiquity, stability, moderate specific surface area, and ability to sequester metals and metalloids from aquatic systems, it has been the subject of a large number of adsorption studies published during the past few decades. Although preparation techniques are known to affect the surface morphology of hematite nanoparticles, the effects of aging under environmentally relevant conditions have yet to be tested with respect to surface morphology, surface area, and adsorptive capacity. We prepared hematite via two different pathways and aged it under highly alkaline conditions encountered in many mill tailings settings. Crystal habits and morphologies of the hematite nanoparticles were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analyses were also conducted on the hematite nanoparticles before and after aging. The hematite synthesized via an Fe(III) salt solution (average particle size ~37 nm) was morphologically and structurally different from the hematite synthesized via ferrihydrite aging (average particle size ~144 nm). Overall, our data demonstrate that the crystallinity of hematite produced via ferrihydrite transformation is susceptible to morphological alterations/modifications. In contrast, the hematite formed via hydrolysis of an Fe(III) salt solution remains very stable in terms of structure, size, and morphology even under extreme experimental conditions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the assistance of Tom Bonli with XRD and SEM analyses and Erin Schmeling with BET analyses conducted at the University of Saskatchewan, and Mert Çelikin with TEM analyses conducted at the McGill University. Funding was provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Cameco Corporation (MJH).

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  1. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada

    Soumya Das & M. Jim Hendry

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  1. Soumya Das
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Correspondence to Soumya Das.

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Das, S., Hendry, M.J. Characterization of hematite nanoparticles synthesized via two different pathways. J Nanopart Res 16, 2535 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-014-2535-7

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