Synthesis of large arrays of aligned α-Fe2O3 nanowires

Aligned α-Fe2O3 nanowires over large areas were successfully synthesized by oxidation of pure iron. Most of the as-synthesized α-Fe2O3 nanowire arrays, grown vertically from the surface of the substrate, are perfect and single crystals with diameters of 20–40 nm and lengths of 2–5 μm. The high surface density of the nanowires (108–109cm−2) is considered to be responsible for the aligned growth. The size of the α-Fe2O3 nanowires may be tailored to required dimension by adjusting the flowing rate of the gases as well as the time and temperature of reaction. The aligned arrays of α-Fe2O3 nanowires reported here offered opportunities for both fundamental research and technological applications.