In situ and time resolved study of the γ/α-Fe2O3 transition in nanometric particles

A brutal increase of the X-rays coherent domain sizes of the α-Fe2O3 particles during the γ/α transition at nanometric scale. Maghemite γ-Fe2O3 particles (φ=9±1nm) were heated at 723 K. First germs (or grains) of α-Fe2O3 were detected with a size of 2 nm.