Room temperature synthesis of crystalline alpha-Fe2O3 nanoparticles.

A room temperature process for the production of crystalline hematite Fe2O3 nanoparticles with an indirect band gap of 2 eV and size range from 15 to 35 nm is presented. The material to have an optical band gap of 2 eV as determined by the Tauc relationship which makes it suitable for visible light photocatalysis. The XRD pattern of the material shows no secondary phases to be present for the low temperature processed material.