Preparation and properties of α-Fe microparticles with high stability

α-Fe microparticles with high stability were expediently prepared by thermolysis directly of ammonium ferric citrate powders under inert atmosphere neither using any reductant nor by hydrogen reduction. The prepared samples were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm, SEM, TEM, particle size distribution and VSM. And preliminary study of adsorption effect of as-prepared samples was still carried out. Results indicate that as-prepared α-Fe microparticles have irregular shape, bigger particle size of about 1.1 μm and higher oxidation resistant, which is really a core-shell structure material of Fe@C; they have higher saturation magnetization of 138.5 emu/g, lower remanet magnetization of 5.7 emu/g and coercive field of 66.8 Oe, which has the tendency of paramagnetization. Furthermore, as-prepared α-Fe microparticles have higher specific surface area of 57.2 m2/g and stronger adsorption capability for heavy metal ions in water.