Title: Formation of iron oxides nanoparticles on low carbon steel under controlled conditions

Authors: A.A. El-Meligi, A.M. Al-Saie, M. Bououdina

Addresses: National Research Centre, Physical Chemistry Dept., El Buhouth St., Dokki, Cairo, P.O. Box 12311, Egypt; Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Bahrain, P.O. Box 32038, Bahrain. ' Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Bahrain, P.O. Box 32038, Bahrain. ' Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Bahrain, P.O. Box 32038, Bahrain

Abstract: A clean route for oxide scale grown on low carbon steel alloy surface at 650°C under controlled heating rate and oxidation period, was investigated. It was found that using controlled conditions of a certain heating rate and an oxidation time led to remarkable changes in the formation of the oxide scale phases and the crystallites size. X-ray diffraction patterns show the formation of α-Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ phases with some preferred orientation in the (100) direction. The estimated average crystallites size of the oxide scale is about 30 nm after 60 hours of oxidation time at 650°C under constant heating rate of 0.1°C/min. Increasing the oxidation time slightly increases the crystallite size. The oxide scale exhibited a relatively medium saturation magnetisation of 34.59 emu/g. This indicates the presence of mixture of Fe oxides, predominately α-Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ phases, as observed in the X-ray diffraction patterns.

Keywords: low carbon steel; heating rate; oxidation time; oxide scale; X-ray diffraction; iron oxides nanoparticles; nanotechnology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2010.033219

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2010 Vol.3 No.1, pp.22 - 31

Received: 11 Nov 2009
Accepted: 29 Jan 2010
Published online: 13 May 2010 *

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