Some wet routes for synthesis of hematite nanostructures

Increased attention has been paid to the synthesis of hematite nanoparticles recently due to its properties and application in various fields of modern technology. Various methods (aqueous and non-aqueous) have been applied in order to produce hematite nanostructures of required size and morphology suitable for these various applications. The aqueous route has been found to be simpler and more versatile than the non-aqueous routes. This paper reviews some of the most commonly used wet route for the synthesis of hematite nanoparticles and shows that the sol-gel and hydrothermal methods are simple and versatile, capable of producing narrow particle size ranges with good control of morphology and high yield in contrast to precipitation and microemulsion methods.   Key words: Nanoparticles, goethite, hematite, ferrihydrite, synthesis.