Facile fabrication and characterizations of nanostructured Fe2O3-TiO2 composite from Ilmenite ore

Fe2O3-TiO2 nanoparticles promises as a highly effective material for adsorption of heavy metals and used as photocatalyst for the removal of organic dye pollutants. In this study, nanostructured Fe2O3-TiO2 composite was successfully fabricated by one-step reaction of ilmenite ore at the high temperature in ambient condition. The resultant Fe2O3-TiO2 composite was characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm. The effects of sintered temperature and time on the formation of the Fe2O3-TiO2 nanocomposite were investigated in detail. The Fe2O3-TiO2 was formed from ilmenite ore after calcination at the temperature of 700oC in 3 hours, followed by a ball-milled process in 4 hours. The obtained Fe2O3-TiO2 composite has an average diameter of from 50 - 100 nm with the BET surface area of 7 m2/g.