Defects and growing mechanisms of α-Fe2O3 nanowires

The nanowires of hematite (α-Fe2O3) have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. It is discovered that there are three main shapes of α-Fe2O3 nanowires, needle-tip, large-tip, and bamboo-like. A diffusion equation is used to simulate the process of the growth of hematite nanowires. It is found that growing mechanism is quite different from normal vapor–liquid–solid and vapor–solid ways, but roughly a diffusion mechanism.