Investigation of solid phase upon γ-irradiation of ferrihydrite-ethanol suspension

Ferrihydrite (FH) nanoparticles were synthesised and subjected to γ-irradiation in the form of FH-ethanol suspension. The dose rate of γ-radiation was ∼16 kGy/h and the samples were irradiated to doses of up to 2590 kGy. γ-irradiation of FH-ethanol suspensions did not cause the transformation of FH to any of the other iron oxide phases. Likewise, neither the Mössbauer and FT-IR spectroscopy nor the quantitative analysis using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy gave any evidence of structural changes of FH upon γ-irradiation. C, H analysis showed that the C concentration in FH gradually increased with dose and was higher in γ-irradiated FH samples than in non-irradiated FH sample. This finding suggested that carbon in FH originated from ethanol degradation. The H concentration in FH gradually increased to the dose of up to 340 kGy and then slightly decreased. Magnetic measurements showed a progressive decrease in magnetisation with an increase in γ-irradiation. The results of magnetic measurements and C, H analysis suggested the carbonisation of FH surface. It was supposed that γ-irradiation of FH-ethanol suspension reductively decomposed ethanol thus generating unsaturated hydrocarbons and acetylides, which in turn formed a conjugate iron complex, thus carbonating the FH surface. The carbonisation of the FH surface prevented FH transformation to other iron oxide phases.