Shirly Harissyah Alfiani, Qori'atun Ni'mah Salsabila, Reinardo Ramawijaya Widakusuma, Agus Purwanto, Ph.D, Rifqi Almusawi Rafsanjani, Habib Muhammad Zapar, Bagaskoro Pranata Ardhi

Synthesis of Hematite Using Different Additives and The Fabrication of Hematite/SiO₂ Composite

Introduction

Synthesis of hematite using different additives and the fabrication of hematite/sio₂ composite. Explore hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) synthesis using NaOH & citric acid to control morphology & crystallinity. Fabricate hematite/SiO₂ composites for advanced applications. Additive selection is critical.

Abstract

Hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) is a widely studied iron oxide due to its broad functional versatility in catalysis, sensing, and environmental applications. However, controlling its morphology and crystallinity remains a challenge, which limits its performance in composite materials. This study investigates the role of sodium hydroxide and citric acid as additives to identify optimal hematite characteristics on the fabrication of hematite/SiO₂ composite via the sol-gel method. Sodium hydroxide serves as a source of hydroxide ions, accelerating nucleation and acting as a precipitating agent, while citric acid chelates Fe³⁺ ions and caps growing nuclei, which enhances crystallinity and suppresses particle agglomeration. As a result, hematiteCA exhibited brownish-purple appearance and higher crystallinity, whereas hematiteSH showed larger and more agglomerated particles. Integrating silica into hematiteCA produced wine-red hematite/SiO2 composites and porous-like surface morphology. These findings demonstrate that additive selection is a critical parameter in synthesizing hematite microstructure and enhancing its compatibility with silica, thereby enabling the development of composites for advanced applications.

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