Citric acid concentration tune of structural and magnetic properties in hematite (α−Fe2O3) nanoparticles synthesized by sol−gel method

Abstract

This study synthesized hematite nanoparticles using the sol-gel method. The physical properties are modified by the citric acid concentration used as fuel. The resulting sample’s rhombohedral (hexagonal) structure and space group R3c were revealed by the XRD data. The Scherer formula revealed that the crystallite size at the most substantial peak was 32.14 nm, 24.58 nm, and 23.21 nm with an increase in the citric acid concentration of 0.3 M, 0.4 M, and 0.5 M, respectively. The FTIR spectrum’s absorption band reveals the properties of hematite nanoparticles. Finally, the magnetic properties confirmed from the VSM data revealed a significant decrease in the coercive field at 935 Oe, 610 Oe, and 548 Oe as the effect of citric acid concentration increased.

Keywords

• citric acid
• hematite nanoparticles
• sol-gel
• magnetic properties