Understanding of the finite size effects on lattice vibrations and electronic transitions of nano alpha-Fe2O3

Silicate impedes arsenic release and oxidation from ferrihydrite

Silicate fertilization is a common farming practice and an effective method to mitigate arsenic (As) pollution in paddy. Investigating the interaction between silicate and ferrihydrite on As retention is key to comprehensively understand the mechanism of As sequestration by silicate fertilization. Our results indicated that the transformation of ferrihydrite into goethite and hematite was inversely proportional to Si/Fe ratios. The added silicate impeded the decrease of solution pH from neutral to acidity, and imposed strong inhibitory effect on goethite formation. The aqueous As in silicate-free system was 3.43 times higher than that with Si/Fe ratio at 0.33, but similar results were not observed in those with high-level As pollution due to the inhibitory effect of As on ferrihydrite transformation. Solid characterization showed that silicate was monomerically adsorbed to ferrihydrite through Si-O-Fe bond, which impeded the reductive dissolution, Fe atom exchange, internal atomic rearrangement and dehydration of ferrihydrite. As(III) oxidation weakened in silicate-coprecipitated ferrihydrite due to the lack of Fe(II) catalysis stem from ferrihydrite dissolution. This work demonstrated that As release could be effectively impeded through the inhibitory effect of silicate on ferrihydrite transformation, thereby providing new insights into the understanding of As accumulation reduction in rice by silicate fertilization.

Traces of Ancient Life in Oceanic Basalt Preserved as Iron-Mineralized Ultrastructures: Implications for Detecting Extraterrestrial Biosignatures

Benefiting from their adaptability to extreme environments, subsurface microorganisms have been discovered in sedimentary and igneous rock environments on Earth and have been advocated as candidates in the search for extraterrestrial life. In this article, we study iron-mineralized microstructures in calcite-filled veins within basaltic pillows of the late Ladinian Fernazza group (Middle Triassic, 239 Ma) in Italy. These microstructures represent diverse morphologies, including filaments, globules, nodules, and micro-digitate stromatolites, which are similar to extant iron-oxidizing bacterial communities. In situ analyses including Raman spectroscopy have been used to investigate the morphological, elemental, mineralogical, and bond-vibrational modes of the microstructures. According to the Raman spectral parameters, iron minerals preserve heterogeneous ultrastructures and crystallinities, coinciding with the morphologies and precursor microbial activities. The degree of crystallinity usually represents a microscale gradient decreasing toward previously existing microbial cells, revealing a decline of mineralization due to microbial activities. This study provides an analog of possible rock-dwelling subsurface life on Mars or icy moons and advocates Raman spectroscopy as an efficient tool for in situ analyses. We put forward the concept that ultrastructural characteristics of minerals described by Raman spectral parameters corresponding to microscale morphologies could be employed as carbon-lean biosignatures in future space missions.

Rheology and microstructure of thermoresponsive composite gels of hematite pseudocubes and Pluronic F127

Stimuli-responsive materials or smart materials are designed materials whose properties can be changed significantly by applying external stimuli, such as stress, electric or magnetic fields, light, temperature, and pH. We report the linear and nonlinear rheological properties of thermoresponsive composite gels based on submicron-sized hematite pseudocube-shaped particles and a triblock copolymer Pluronic F127 (PF127). These novel composites form hard gels at an elevated temperature of 37 °C. For certain concentrations (<20 w/v. %) of hematite pseudocubes in 17.5 w/v. % of PF127, the gel strength is enhanced and the brittleness of the gels decreases. Higher concentrations (>20 w/v. %) of hematite pseudocubes in PF127 result in weaker and fragile gels. We develop an extensive rheological fingerprint using linear and nonlinear rheological studies. Adsorption of PF127 copolymer molecules on the hematite cube surfaces would further assist the formation of particle clusters along with magnetic interactions to be held effectively in the PF127 micellar network at elevated temperatures. The microscopic structure of these composite gels is visualized through a confocal microscope. Our experiments show that addition of hematite cubes up to 20 w/v. % does not change the rapid thermal gelation of PF127 solutions; hence, the hematite-PF127 composite, which transforms into a hard gel near human body temperature of 37 °C, could be suitable for use in smart drug delivery systems.

Integration of biochar into Ag3PO4/α-Fe2O3 heterojunction for enhanced reactive oxygen species generation towards organic pollutants removal

A biochar (BC) harbored Ag₃PO₄/α-Fe₂O₃ type-Ⅰ heterojunction (Ag-Fe-BC) was prepared by a hydrothermal-impregnation method to transfer active center of heterojunctions. The electrochemical and spectroscopic tests demonstrated that BC enhanced the catalytic performance of the heterojunction by enhancing photocurrent, reducing fluorescence intensity, and facilitating separation of electron-hole pairs. The photocatalytic activity showed the Ag-Fe-BC (5:1:3) could degrade Rhodamine B (20 mg/L) by up to 92.7%, which was 3.35 times higher than Ag₃PO₄/α-Fe₂O₃. Tetracycline and ciprofloxacin (20 mg/L) were degraded efficiently by 58.3% and 79.4% within 2 h, respectively. Electron paramagnetic resonance and scavenging experiments confirmed the major reactive oxygen species (ROS) consisted of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) and superoxide (·O₂^-). Excellent RhB adsorption and electrons capturing capacity of BC facilitated electron-hole pairs separation and ROS transferring to target organics followed by elevated degradation. Thus, a facile method was proposed to synthesize a highly efficient visible-light responsive photocatalyst for degradation of various organics in water.

Chemical-Pressure-Modulated BaTiO3 Thin Films with Large Spontaneous Polarization and High Curie Temperature

Although BaTiO₃ is one of the most famous lead-free piezomaterials, it suffers from small spontaneous and low Curie temperature. Chemical pressure, as a mild way to modulate the structures and properties of materials by element doping, has been utilized to enhance the ferroelectricity of BaTiO₃ but is not efficient enough. Here, we report a promoted chemical pressure route to prepare high-performance BaTiO₃ films, achieving the highest remanent polarization, P_r (100 μC/cm²), to date and high Curie temperature, T_c (above 1000 °C). The negative chemical pressure (∼-5.7 GPa) was imposed by the coherent lattice strain from large cubic BaO to small tetragonal BaTiO₃, generating high tetragonality (c/a = 1.12) and facilitating large displacements of Ti. Such negative pressure is especially significant to the bonding states, i.e., hybridization of Ba 5p-O 2p, whereas ionic bonding in bulk and strong bonding of Ti e_g and O 2p, which contribute to the tremendously enhanced polarization. The promoted chemical pressure method shows general potential in improving ferroelectric and other functional materials.

One-pot synthesis of Fe/Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst and its highly efficient performance for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxide with ammonia

Series of Fe/Cu-SSZ-13 catalysts with different Fe loading content were synthesized by simple one-pot strategy. The obtained catalysts were subjected to selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO_x with NH₃ and were characterized by various techniques. The results show that Fe_0.63/Cu_1.50-SSZ-13 catalyst with proper Fe content exhibits excellent catalytic activity with widest operation temperature window from 160 to 580°C, excellent hydrothermal stability as well as good resistance to sulfur poisoning when compared with Cu-SSZ-13, signifying its great potential for practical applications. Further characterizations reveal that the synthesized Fe/Cu-SSZ-13 catalysts present typical chabazite (CHA) structure with good crystallinity, while isolated Cu²⁺ and monomeric Fe³⁺ are revealed as the predominant copper and iron species. At low temperatures, isolated Cu²⁺ species act as primary active sites for SCR reaction, while monomeric Fe³⁺ species provide sufficient active sites for sustain the SCR activity at high temperature. Moreover, Fe over doping would lead to the damage of zeolite structure, destruction of isolated Cu²⁺ site, as well as the formation of highly oxidizing Fe₂O₃, thus causing deterioration of catalytic performances.

Spectral and morphological characteristics of synthetic nanophase iron (oxyhydr)oxides

Nanophase iron (oxyhydr)oxides are ubiquitous on Earth, globally distributed on Mars, and likely present on numerous other rocky solar system bodies. They are often structurally and, therefore, spectrally distinct from iron (oxyhydr)oxide bulk phases. Because their spectra vary with grain size, they can be difficult to identify or distinguish unless multiple analysis techniques are used in tandem. Yet, most literature reports fail to use multiple techniques or adequately parameterize sample morphology, making it difficult to understand how morphology affects spectral characteristics across techniques. Here, we present transmission electron microscopy, Raman, visible and near-infrared, and mid-infrared attenuated total reflectance data on synthetic, nanophase akaganéite, lepidocrocite, goethite, hematite, ferrihydrite, magnetite, and maghemite. Feature positions are tabulated and compared to those for bulk (oxyhydr)oxides and other nanophase iron (oxyhydr)oxides from the literature. The utility and limitations of each technique in analyzing nanophase iron (oxyhydr)oxides are discussed. Raman, mid-infrared, and visible near-infrared spectra show broadening, loss of some spectral features, and shifted positions compared to bulk phases. Raman and mid-infrared spectroscopies are useful in identifying and distinguishing akaganéite, lepidocrocite, goethite, and hematite, though ferrihydrite, magnetite, and maghemite have overlapped band positions. Visible near-infrared spectroscopy can identify and distinguish among ferrihydrite, magnetite, and maghemite in pure spectra, though akaganéite, lepidocrocite, and goethite can have overlapping bands. It is clear from this work that further understanding of variable spectral features in nanophase iron (oxyhydr)oxides must await additional studies to robustly assess effects of morphology. This study establishes a template for future work.

Effect of reduced graphene oxide on the structural, optical, adsorption and photocatalytic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles

Effect of reduced graphene oxide on the structural and photocatalytic properties of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles.

Formation of iron oxide nanoparticles for the photooxidation of water: Alteration of finite size effects from ferrihydrite to hematite

Iron oxide nanoparticles represent a promising low-cost environmentally-friendly material for multiple applications. Especially hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles demonstrate great possibilities in energy storage and photoelectrochemistry. A hydrothermal one-pot synthesis can be used to synthesise hematite nanoparticles. Here, the particle formation, nucleation and growth of iron oxide nanoparticles using a FeCl3 precursor over time is monitored. The formation of 6-line ferrihydrite seeds of 2-8 nm which grow with reaction time and form clusters followed by a phase transition to ~15 nm hematite particles can be observed with ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and UV/Vis spectroscopy. These particles grow with reaction time leading to 40 nm particles after 6 hours. The changes in plasmon and electron transition patterns, observed upon particle transition and growth lead to the possibility of tuning the photoelectrochemical properties. Catalytic activity of the hematite nanoparticles can be proven with visible light irradiation and the use of silver nitrate as scavenger material. The generation of elementary silver is dependent on the particle size of iron oxide nanoparticles while only slight changes can be observed in the oxygen generation. Low-cost nanoscale hematite, offers a range of future applications for artificial photosynthesis.

Hematite nanoparticle clusters with remarkably high magnetization synthesized from water-treatment waste by one-step “sharp high-temperature dehydration”

Hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) nanoparticle clusters with an exceptionally high magnetization of 51 emu g⁻¹ were synthesized for the first time. This material was prepared from water-treatment waste by a new “sharp high-temperature dehydration” process.

A GdAlO3 Perovskite Oxide Electrolyte-Based NOx Solid-State Sensor

NO_x is a notorious emission from motor vehicles and chemical factories as the precursor of acid rain and photochemical smog. Although zirconia-based NO_x sensors have been developed and showed high sensitivity and selectivity at a high temperature of above 800 °C, they fail to show good performance, and even don't work at the typical work temperature window of the automotive engine (<500 °C). It still is a formidable challenge for development of mild-temperature NO_x detector or sensor. Herein, a novel amperometric solid-state NO_x sensor was developed using perovskite-type oxide Gd_1-xCa_xAlO_3-δ(GCA) as the electrolyte and NiO as the sensing electrode. NO_x sensing properties of the device were investigated at the temperature region of 400-500 °C. The response current value at -300 mV was almost linearly proportional to the NO_x concentration between 300 and 500 ppm at 500 °C. At such a temperature, the optimal sensor gave the highest NO₂ sensitivity of 20.15 nA/ppm, and the maximum response current value reached 5.57 μA. Furthermore, a 90% response and 90% recover time to 500 ppm NO₂ were about 119 and 92 s, respectively. The excellent selectivity and stability towards NO_x sensing showed the potential application of the sensor in motor vehicles.

Structural- and optical-properties analysis of single crystalline hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanocubes prepared by one-pot hydrothermal approach

Time-dependent morphological evolution analysis shows high quality crystalline α-Fe₂O₃ nanocubes can be precisely tuned and synthesized by a facile, green, yet straightforward strategy via a hydrothermal method.

Comparative studies on MWCNTs, Fe2O3 and Fe2O3/MWCNTs thin films towards supercapacitor application

Fe₂O₃/MWCNTs hybrid thin film exhibits superior electrochemical supercapacitor behaviour in terms of specific capacitance, energy density and power density than the individual Fe₂O₃ and MWCNTs thin films.

Surface- and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy reveals spin-waves in iron oxide nanoparticles

Nanomaterials have the remarkable characteristic of displaying physical properties different from their bulk counterparts. An additional degree of complexity and functionality arises when oxide nanoparticles interact with metallic nanostructures. In this context the Raman spectra due to plasmonic enhancement of iron oxide nanocrystals are here reported showing the activation of spin-waves. Iron oxide nanoparticles on gold and silver tips are found to display a band around 1584 cm(-1) attributed to a spin-wave magnon mode. This magnon mode is not observed for nanoparticles deposited on silicon (111) or on glass substrates. Metal-nanoparticle interaction and the strongly localized electromagnetic field contribute to the appearance of this mode. The localized excitation that generates this mode is confirmed by tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). The appearance of the spin-waves only when the TERS tip is in close proximity to a nanocrystal edge suggests that the coupling of a localized plasmon with spin-waves arises due to broken symmetry at the nanoparticle border and the additional electric field confinement. Beyond phonon confinement effects previously reported in similar systems, this work offers significant insights on the plasmon-assisted generation and detection of spin-waves optically induced.

Solvent mediated surface engineering of α-Fe2O3nanomaterials: facet sensitive energy storage materials

The surface chemical properties of iron oxide nanomaterials are keenly studied to explore their potential for many future applications.

Ultrafast transient absorption studies of hematite nanoparticles: the effect of particle shape on exciton dynamics

Much progress has been made in using hematite (α-Fe2 O3 ) as a potentially practical and sustainable material for applications such as solar-energy conversion and photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting; however, recent studies have shown that the performance can be limited by a very short charge-carrier diffusion length or exciton lifetime. In this study, we performed ultrafast studies on hematite nanoparticles of different shapes to determine the possible influence of particle shape on the exciton dynamics. Nanorice, multifaceted spheroidal nanoparticles, faceted nanocubes, and faceted nanorhombohedra were synthesized and characterized by using SEM and XRD techniques. Their exciton dynamics were investigated by using femtosecond transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy. Although the TA spectral features differ for the four samples studied, their decay profiles are similar, which can be fitted with time constants of 1-3 ps, approximately 25 ps, and a slow nanosecond component extending beyond the experimental time window that was measured (2 ns). The results indicate that the overall exciton lifetime is weakly dependent on the shape of the hematite nanoparticles, even though the overall optical absorption and scattering are influenced by the particle shape. This study suggests that other strategies need to be developed to increase the exciton lifetime or to lengthen the exciton diffusion length in hematite nanostructures.

Is there lattice contraction in multicomponent metal oxides? Case study for GdVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles

Metal oxide nanomaterials have been found to have great potential for diverse applications due to their unique relationships between structure and properties. Lattice expansion as particle size reduces was previously considered to be general for metal oxide nanomaterials. It is now a great challenge to see if lattice contraction could be induced by the size effect for metal oxide nanomaterials. ABO4 metal oxides (e.g., CaWO4, GdVO4, and CdWO4) are some of the most important functional materials with many applications, while such oxides at the nanoscale are never reported to show a lattice contraction. This work presents a first report on the variation from lattice expansion to lattice contraction by tuning the microstructures of GdVO4:Eu(3+) nanocrystals. A hydrothermal method was adopted to synthesize GdVO4:Eu(3+) nanocrystals, and then these nanoparticles were calcined at 600 ° C in air. It is found that particle size reduction led to a lattice contraction for the calcined samples, which is in contrast to the lattice expansion observed for the hydrothermally synthesized counterparts or many other metal oxide nanomaterials. In addition, the lattice symmetry of the calcined samples remained almost a constant. The results indicate that the negative surface stress was eliminated by calcination treatment, leading to a homogeneous compression process in the lattice structure of the calcined GdVO4:Eu(3+) nanocrystals. Furthermore, Eu(3+) was taken as a structural probe and a luminescence center to study the local environments pertinent to these structural changes and to optimize the photoluminescence performance.

Rational design of interfacial properties of ferric (hydr)oxide nanoparticles by adsorption of fatty acids from aqueous solutions

Notwithstanding the great practical importance, still open are the questions how, why, and to what extent the size, morphology, and surface charge of metal (hydr)oxide nanoparticles (NPs) affect the adsorption form, adsorption strength, surface density, and packing order of organic (bio)molecules containing carboxylic groups. In this article, we conclusively answer these questions for a model system of ferric (hydr)oxide NPs and demonstrate applicability of the established relationships to manipulating their hydrophobicity and dispersibility. Employing in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and adsorption isotherm measurements, we study the interaction of 150, 38, and 9 nm hematite (α-Fe(2)O(3)) and ∼4 nm 2-line ferrihydrite with sodium laurate (dodecanoate) in water. We discover that, independent of morphology, an increase in size of the ferric (hydr)oxide NPs significantly improves their adsorption capacity and affinity toward fatty acids. This effect favors the formation of bilayers, which in turn promotes dispersibility of the larger NPs in water. At the same time, the local order in self-assembled monolayer (SAM) strongly depends on the morphological compatibility of the NP facets with the geometry-driven well-packed arrangements of the hydrocarbon chains as well as on the ratio of the chemisorbed to the physically adsorbed carboxylate groups. Surprisingly, the geometrical constraints can be removed, and adsorption capacity can be increased by negatively polarizing the NPs due to promotion of the outer-sphere complexes of the fatty acid. We interpret these findings and discuss their implications for the nanotechnological applications of surface-functionalized metal (hydr)oxide NPs.

Water-titanate intercalated nanotubes: fabrication, polarization, and giant dielectric property

What's the difference when water molecules are confined in a rather limited space? This work addresses this question by decorating water molecules within the scrolled titanate nanotubes. Both scrolled nanotubes Na(0.96)H(1.04)Ti(3)O(7)·nH(2)O and Na(0.036)H(1.964)Ti(3)O(7)·nH(2)O were first prepared to show large specific areas around 200 m(2) g(-1), within which quantities of water molecules were confined to form H(2)O tubes that are alternatively arranged with the titanate nanotubes. This unique double-tube structure exhibited remarkable polarization and dielectric performance, yielding a huge dielectric constant around ε = 14,000, comparable to some known giant-dielectric-constant ceramics. Depending on the measurement frequency and temperature, the dielectric relaxation peaks were monitored by the content of the water molecules confined within the nanotubes. A two-layer dielectric model that involves the distinct anisotropy and confinement effect of the double-tube structure was proposed to explain this dielectric behavior. The findings reported in this work may pave the way for optimizing many subtle hydrated nanostructures in nature that could create an abundance of confined water molecules for a broad class of applications.

Facile Synthesis of Novel Nanostructured MnO(2) Thin Films and Their Application in Supercapacitors

Nanostructured alpha-MnO(2) thin films with different morphologies are grown on the platinum substrates by a facile solution method without any assistance of template or surfactant. Microstructural characterization reveals that morphology evolution from dandelion-like spheres to nanoflakes of the as-grown MnO(2) is controlled by synthesis temperature. The capacitive behavior of the MnO(2) thin films with different morphologies are studied by cyclic voltammetry. The alpha-MnO(2) thin films composed of dandelion-like spheres exhibit high specific capacitance, good rate capability, and excellent long-term cycling stability.

Surface doping for photocatalytic purposes: relations between particle size, surface modifications, and photoactivity of SnO(2):Zn2+ nanocrystals

Highly crystalline SnO(2) nanocrystals with and without Zn(2+) doping were directly prepared by a solvothermal method. By systematic characterizations using x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectra, and UV-vis spectra, it is demonstrated that all samples crystallized in a single phase of rutile structure, and that upon Zn(2+) doping particle sizes closer to the exciton Bohr radius (2.7 nm) of SnO(2) were achieved, while the particle size of SnO(2) nanoparticles was as large as about 12 nm without Zn(2+) doping. The smaller particle sizes for Zn(2+) doped nanoparticles had led to a lattice expansion, a blue-shift of the surface phonon mode for the anti-symmetric Sn-O stretching vibration, and a significantly narrowed band-gap energy, opposite to what is theoretically predicted by the quantum size effect. The photocatalytic activity of the doped samples is measured by monitoring the degradation of methylene blue dye in an aqueous solution under UV-radiation exposure. It is found that Zn(2+) doped SnO(2) showed excellent activity toward photodegradation of methylene blue solution under UV light irradiation. These observations were interpreted in terms of the Zn(2+) doping at the surface sites of SnO(2) nanoparticles and the relevant defects that have increased the surface active sites and moreover improved the ratio of surface charge carrier transfer rate to the electron-hole recombination rate. These results illustrate the potential of rationally modifying the particle size and surface defect characteristics for novel semiconductor oxide photocatalysts.

Doping effects of Co(2+) ions on ZnO nanorods and their photocatalytic properties

A series of Zn(1-x)Co(x)O nanorods with dopant content ranging from x = 0.00 to 0.10 was prepared by a wet chemical method. All Zn(1-x)Co(x)O samples were investigated by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersion x-ray line mapping analysis, and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. It was found that Co(2+) ions were homogeneously substituted for Zn(2+) ions in ZnO nanorods. Rhodamine B degradation was used as a probe reaction to evaluate the effect of Co(2+) doping on ZnO nanorods and photocatalytic performance under UV light and visible light irradiation. Co(2+) ions acted as the trapping or recombination centers for electrons and holes, leading to a reduction in photodegradation efficiency under UV light illumination. Alternatively, Co(2+) ions enhanced the optical absorption and produced the photoinduced carriers under visible illumination in terms of two charge transfer transitions involving Co(2+) ions. Consequently, Co(2+) ions substituted in the lattice of ZnO nanorods significantly improved the visible light photocatalytic activity.

Luminescence and Photocatalytic Activity of ZnO Nanocrystals: Correlation between Structure and Property

Low-dimensional ZnO nanocrystals with controlled size, aspect ratio, and oxygen defects (e.g., type and concentration) are successfully prepared through simple solvothermal and thermal treatment methods. The structure of the as-synthesized samples is characterized by XRD, N2 physical adsorption, TEM, and IR and XPS spectra. The results show that the aspect ratio and size of the as-synthesized ZnO nanocrystals increase with increasing [OH-]/[Zn2+]; the morphology evolves from nanorod to nanoparticle with an increase in the annealing temperature; the BET surface areas of the corresponding samples decrease during these processes, respectively; and different oxygen defects, which are likely to be oxygen vacancy (Vo**) and interstitial oxygen (Oi''), are formed in our experiments accordingly. With evolution of the structure, IR absorption bands and visible photoluminescence emission peaks of the synthesized ZnO nanocrystals shift and split, which is ascribed to the change of oxygen defects. In addition, it is found that the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized ZnO nanocrystals is mainly dependent on the type and concentration of oxygen defects. The relationship of structure-property and the possible photocatalytic mechanism are discussed in detail.

Size-dependent structural transformations of hematite nanoparticles. 1. Phase transition

Using Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), we characterize the structure and/or morphology of hematite (alpha-Fe(2)O(3)) particles with sizes of 7, 18, 39 and 120 nm. It is found that these nanoparticles possess maghemite (gamma-Fe(2)O(3))-like defects in the near surface regions, to which a vibrational mode at 690 cm(-1), active both in FTIR and Raman spectra, is assigned. The fraction of the maghemite-like defects and the net lattice disorder are inversely related to the particle size. However, the effect is opposite for nanoparticles grown by sintering of smaller hematite precursors under conditions when the formation of a uniform hematite-like structure throughout the aggregate is restricted by kinetic issues. This means that not only particle size but also the growth kinetics determines the structure of the nanoparticles. The observed structural changes are interpreted as size-induced alpha-Fe(2)O(3)<-->gamma-Fe(2)O(3) phase transitions. We develop a general model that considers spinel defects and absorbed/adsorbed species (in our case, hydroxyls) as dominant controls on structural changes with particle size in hematite nanoparticles, including solid-state phase transitions. These changes are represented by trajectories in a phase diagram built in three phase coordinates-concentrations of spinel defects, absorbed impurities, and adsorbed species. The critical size for the onset of the alpha-->gamma phase transition depends on the particle environment, and for the dry particles used in this study is about 40 nm. The model supports the existence of intermediate phases (protohematite and hydrohematite) during dehydration of goethite. We also demonstrate that the hematite structure is significantly less defective when the nanoparticles are immersed in water or KBr matrix, which is explained by the effects of the electrochemical double layer and increased rigidity of the particle environment. Finally, we revise the problem of applicability of IR spectroscopy to the lattice vibrations of hematite nanoparticles, demonstrating that structural comparison of different samples is much more reliable if it is based on the E(u) band at about 460 cm(-1) and the spinel band at 690 cm(-1), instead of the A(2u)/E(u) band at about 550 cm(-1) used in previous work. The new methodology is applied to analysis of the reported IR spectra of Martian hematite.