Effects of size on the photocatalytic properties of high-index faceted pseudocubic and rhombohedral α-Fe2O3 nanocrystals

Zhuan Wang; Wenyu Xie; Bo Yang; Li Song; Xueying Zhao; Aslam Khan; Fan Yue; Xintai Su; Chao Yang

doi:10.1039/c9ra08561k

Effects of size on the photocatalytic properties of high-index faceted pseudocubic and rhombohedral α-Fe₂O₃ nanocrystals

RSC Adv. 2019 Dec 4;9(68):40024-40030. doi: 10.1039/c9ra08561k. eCollection 2019 Dec 2.

Authors

Zhuan Wang¹, Wenyu Xie², Bo Yang¹, Li Song¹, Xueying Zhao¹, Aslam Khan¹, Fan Yue¹, Xintai Su³, Chao Yang¹

Affiliations

¹ Ministry Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Fine Chemicals, College of the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang University Urumqi 830046 China jerryyang1924@163.com.
² Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemcial Pollution Processes and Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology Maoming Guangdong 525000 China.
³ The Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters (Ministry of Education), School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510006 China.

Abstract

Size-controlled and high-index faceted α-Fe₂O₃ nanocrystals with pseudocubic and rhombohedral morphologies were synthesized through the hydrothermal treatment of β-FeOOH at different pHs. The size effect on the photocatalytic oxygen evolution efficiency of high-index faceted α-Fe₂O₃ nanocrystals was investigated. Rhombohedral α-Fe₂O₃ (pH 6.0) exhibits an outstanding apparent quantum yield of 9.93% and an oxygen evolution efficiency of 20.3%, which can be attributed to the optimal size and high-indexed {104} planes. This work provides a new idea for the design of high activity water oxidation catalysts, through the size optimization of high-index faceted materials.