Synthesis of eskolaite (α-Cr2O3) nanostructures by thermal processing of Cr2O3-loaded activated carbon Article uri icon

abstract

  • A porous-nanostructured material made of short-chain eskolaite (α;-Cr2O3) nanoparticles has been synthesized from Cr2O3-loaded activated carbon. The size of the nanoparticles in the chain ranges from 2 to 100 nm. The Cr2O 3-loaded activated carbon was prepared by adsorption of dichromate () ions from aqueous solutions on ultrafine activated carbon (less than 12 m in size) in a batch-glass-stirred reactor at 28°C. After a filtration step, the Cr2O3-loaded activated carbon was processed at high temperature under an oxidizing atmosphere to remove the carbon as CO 2(g) and obtain a product high in Cr2O3. This thermal process was carried out in a tube furnace using air as the oxidant. At 1100°C, a product with 98%25 Cr2O3 was produced. The synthesized material is highly porous and is composed by agglomerates of short chains of eskolaite nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and selected area (electron) diffraction (SAED) microscopy were used to determine the chemical composition, texture, crystal structure, and size of the product components. © 2014 Taylor %26amp; Francis Group, LLC.

publication date

  • 2014-01-01