Synthesis and microstructures of ��-Fe2O3 bierystalline nanowires

Novel Fe2O3 nanowires have been successfully synthesized by a simple oxidation process of pure iron. The microstructure of the Fe2O3 nanowires have been systematically investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The investigated materials are found to be stoichiometric rhombohedral ??-Fe2O3 with typical diameters of 20-80 nm and lengths up to 20 ??m. In addition to known single crystal Fe2O3 nanowires, a great amount of novel bicrystalline nanowires were found with ellipsoidal heads. Investigations indicate that most of the bicrystalline nanowires are twins and their orientation relationship is obtained tobe (-1, 1, 10)M//(-1, 1, 10)T, M//T. High resolution TEM with numerical reconstruction of the electron exit wave was used to investigated the atomic structure of the micro-twins. Their growth mechanism is briefly discussed on the basis of solid phase growth process. ? 2005 Materials Research Society.EI