Rare-Earth Silicates as High-Temperature Surfactants for the Controlled Synthesis of ε-Fe₂O₃ Nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT: The functional properties of nanocrystals can be finely tuned through controlled morphology and size. However, this can be challenging for metastable nanostructures that require harsh synthesis conditions, such as high temperatures. Here, we present a method for preparing large ε-Fe₂O₃ nanorods that are not affected by magnetic relaxation. This study presents a novel growth mechanism in which high-aspect-ratio rods evolve from spherical ε-Fe₂O₃ particles in a silica matrix containing Y³⁺. With the presence of Y³⁺, the glassy matrix undergoes a metastable binodal decomposition yielding the formation of nanodroplets of a Y-rich silicate of composition ∼Y₂Si₂O₇. This Y silicate selectively coats

SUBMITTER: Khanam N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12447499 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature