Influence of Iron Nanowires Oxidation on Their Semiconducting Properties

The main aim of this work was to study the impact of thermal annealing on the structure of iron oxide shell covering iron nanowires in relation to their semiconducting properties. Studied nanomaterial has been produced via a simple chemical reduction in an external magnetic field and then it has been thermally-treated at 400 degrees C, 600 degrees C and also 800 degrees C in a slightly oxidizing argon atmosphere. Annealed iron nanowires have been characterized by means of the Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence in order to study the structure of iron oxide shell and its influence on semiconducting properties of the whole nanostructure. According to obtained experimental results, the composition of iron oxide shell covering the studied nanomaterial is changing with annealing temperature. The thermal treatment at 400 degrees C leads to oxidation of iron coming from the core of nanomaterial and formation of a mixture of Fe3O4 and alpha-Fe2O3 on the surfaces of nanowires, while annealing at higher temperatures results in further oxidation of iron as well as the phase transformation of previously created Fe3O4 into the most thermodynamically stable form of iron oxide at ambient conditions - alpha-Fe2O3. This oxide has a major impact on the semiconducting properties of studied nanomaterial. Thereby, the measurements of photoluminescence enabled to estimate the bandgap of bulk and surface layer at about 1.8 eV and 2.1 eV, respectively.