Fe2O3 Synthesized by Sol-Gel Method for Energy Storage Applications

Fe2O3 nanopowders were synthesized by sol-gel method from the iron source material Fe(NO3)3.9H2O and citric acid C6H8O7.H2O without any refined process. The structure and size of the synthesized materials were determined by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The obtained product is α-Fe2O3 with different shapes and sizes depending on the preparation conditions. α-Fe2O3 was applied as anode of iron-air battery. The cyclic voltammetry measurements showed that the size and morphology of Fe2O3 particles affect their electrochemical characteristics. Using K2S as an electrolyte additive improved the electrochemical properties of Fe2O3/AB electrodes as evidenced by increased redox reaction rate of iron, increased capacity of Fe2O3/AB electrode and reduced H2 evolution.