Chemical vapor synthesis of nanocrystalline iron oxides

Abstract

Chemical vapor synthesis (CVS) is a gas phase process to generate nanoparticles via a chemical reaction. In this contribution a review of recent methodological advances is provided using nanocrystalline iron oxides as model system. Novel methods are described to control precursor flow of sublimating metalorganic solids, characterization of electronic and molecular structure of vapors using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), in situ determination of oxygen partial pressure, variation of the time-temperature profile, in situ characterization of electronic, local, crystal and micro-structure using XAS, wide and small angle scattering (WAXS and SAXS) and finally methods to design the CVS process and materials development.

Keywords

• Gas phase synthesis
• Nanoparticles
• Process design
• Materials design
• Iron oxides