Reduction phases of thin iron-oxide nanowires upon thermal treatment and Li exposure

Iron oxide nanostructures, a promising alternative to carbon-based anode in lithium-ion batteries, can be produced using a hard template route. This procedure guarantees the formation of Fe2O3 nanowires with comparable diameter and size (average diameter 8 nm) with a dominant cubic gamma-phase at the surface. Lithium exposure of the iron oxide nanowires in ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) conditions induces reduction of the Fe ion, leading to a Fe3O4 and then to a Fe2+ phase, as determined by means of core-level photoemission spectroscopy. Mild annealing of Fe2O3 in UHV determines an oxygen content reduction for the nanowires at lower temperature with respect to the bulk phase. The morphology and the evolution of the electronic properties upon reduction have been compared to those of micro-sized bulk-like grains, to unravel the role of the reduced size and surface-volume ratio. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.