Different morphologies of α-Fe2O3 crystals including snowflake-like, paired microplates, dumbbell, column,
and spindle microstructures have been prepared though a hydrothermal reaction in K3[Fe(CN)6] solution with
different pH values at 140 °C. The influences of the experimental conditions, such as pH value and reaction
time on the morphologies of the as-prepared α-Fe2O3 crystals, have been studied. The morphologies and
structures of the α-Fe2O3 crystals have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission
electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Selected-area electron diffraction confirms that
the snowflake-like microstructure and paired microplates grow along the [001] direction, respectively. A
possible growth process of α-Fe2O3 crystals with varied morphologies from sixfold snowflake-like to the
column-like microstructure has been proposed. Additionally, magnetic investigations show that the α-Fe2O3
crystals with column-like microstructures exhibit a weakly ferromagnetic property at room temperature.
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