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Thermal stability of nanocrystalline ε-Fe2O3

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Abstract

Thermal behavior of highly crystalline ε-Fe2O3 nanoparticles of different apparent crystallite sizes was characterized using thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, and analysis of evolved gas by mass spectrometry. Phase composition of the samples was monitored ex situ by X-ray powder diffraction. The results show that the thermal stability of this metastable iron oxide polymorph decreases with increasing particle size. For the particle diameter of 19(2) nm, the transformation temperature was equal to 794(5) °C, while for 28(2) nm only 755(10) °C. Surface of the nanoparticles contained adsorbed water and carbon dioxide. Elimination of these species proceeds in two steps. Water is removed at temperatures below 200 °C and CO2 in the temperature range between 200 and 450 °C.

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Acknowledgements

Dr. Mariana Klementová is acknowledged for careful reading the manuscript. This work was supported by the Czech Science Foundation, project no. P204/10/0035 and the Long-Term Research Plan of the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic (MSM0021620857).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Inorganic Chemistry ASCR, v. v. i., Husinec-Řež 1001, Řež, 25068, Czech Republic

    Petr Brázda, Eva Večerníková, Eva Pližingrová & Adriana Lančok

  2. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Hlavova 2030/8, 12843, Prague 2, Czech Republic

    Daniel Nižňanský

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  1. Petr Brázda
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  2. Eva Večerníková
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Correspondence to Petr Brázda.

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Brázda, P., Večerníková, E., Pližingrová, E. et al. Thermal stability of nanocrystalline ε-Fe2O3 . J Therm Anal Calorim 117, 85–91 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-014-3711-9

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