Controllable Synthesis of α-Fe2O3 Nanocubes with Size-Dependent Optical Performance

The design and controllable synthesis of semiconductors at the nanoscale level is a critical strategy for adjusting the performance of catalysts. In this work, size-controlled α -Fe 2 O 3 with nanocubic structure is fabricated through a simple solvothermal method. The growth process of cubic α -Fe 2 O 3 nanocrystals is investigated by time-dependent solvothermal reaction experiments, which displays a typical Oswald ripening mechanism: flower-like nucleation, followed by growing and ripening of nuclei into different morphologies and sizes during the solvothermal process. The UV–vis absorption results revealed that α -Fe 2 O 3 nanocubes present a size-dependent optical property. The α -Fe 2 O 3 -10h with an average particle size of 37 nm exhibits good crystallinity, large specific surface area and high UV–vis light absorption, subsequently resulting in the highest photocatalytic efficiency together with excellent stability.