Large-scale synthesis of isolated Mn2O3 nanotube/fiber with ferric nitrate as catalyst

Abstract

Isolated Mn₂O₃ nanotubes and nanofibers were prepared very easily at a large scale with the liquid-phase catalysis method. The Mn₂O₃ nanotubes had dimensions of 30 50 nm (exterior diameter) and 0.2 1.0 ?m (length), approximately. The ₂O₃ nanofibers had dimensions of 10 30 nm (diameter) and 0.4 2.0 ?m (length), approximately. Nano-₂O₃ with different microstructures including nanotubes, nanofibers and nanoparticles could be selectively synthesized by controlling the contents and proportions of potassium permanganate and ferric nitrate. Ferric nitrate was an ideal catalyst for the preparation of ₂O₃ nanotube/fiber. When cobalt nitrate or nickel nitrate was used as catalyst, only amorphous nano-₂O₃ was synthesized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) result shows that the ₂O₃ nanotube has a crystalline structure different from o-₂O₃, t-₂O₃, h-₂O₃ and ?-₂O₃.