Efficient removal of organic dyes molecules by grain-like α-Fe2O3 nanostructures under visible light irradiation

In this work, grain-like ɑ-Fe2O3 nanostructures are successfully obtained by a facile hydrothermal approach without using any templates. The morphology and microstructure of the as-synthesized products are characterized using scanning electron morphology (SEM) and transmission electron morphology (TEM). A possible growth mechanism of grain-like ɑ-Fe2O3 nanostructures is proposed by adjusting volume ratio of ethanol/water. The as-prepared ɑ-Fe2O3 products are used as the photocatalysts for the photocatalytic degradation of Congo red (CR) dyes. The result indicate that CR molecules can be degraded nearly completely (over 99%) after 24 min under visible light irradiation. The as-synthesized grain-like ɑ-Fe2O3 nanostructures might have potential application in eliminating organic pollutants in waste water.