Review on the Elaboration and Morfo-Structural Characterization of Iron Oxide for Catalytic Applications

Abstract

Magnetite, Fe3O4 exhibits the strongest magnetism of transition metal oxides. Hematite, α-Fe2O3 being the most stable oxide and semiconductor type n under environmental conditions, can be widely used in catalysts, pigments and gas sensors. Iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 and γ-Fe2O3) with superparamagnetic properties and low toxicity, are particularly useful for catalytic applications especially in the medical field. For these applications, the Fe3O4 and γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles are usually smaller than 20 nm, where they have superparamagnetic properties, i.e. a high magnetic saturation moment and almost zero coercivity. This review presents the theoretical concepts of the structure properties of this oxide and the elaboration methods that make iron oxide the ideal candidate for catalytic applications.