Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Cr2O3 Nanoparticles Prepared by Using Cr(NO3)3.9H2O and Triethanolamine Under Microwave Irradiation

Abstract

In this study, Chromium oxide nanoparticles (Cr2O3-NPs) was prepared by sol-gel method, using Cr(NO3)3.9H2O as a Precursor material, triethanolamine (TEA) as a template and water as green solvent under microwave irradiation . X- ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Rietveld refinement and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were employed to characterize the average  crystallite size, crystalline structure, morphology, unit cell parameters and chemical groups of the annealed powder. From  XRD data and Dicvol 91 software analysis, the crystal system was found to be rhombohedral structure for samples. The average  crystallite size is calculated by using Debye-Scherrer formula, crystallites size and strain are calculated by using Williamson-Hall formula. The effect of particle size on the crystal lattice distortion ratio, specific surface area, dislocation density and number of unit cell was discussed. A good agreement is between XRD data and FIR data. The qualitative phase analysis is performed by Rietveld analysis using “Fullprof” program of Cr2O3-NPs. Keywords: Cr2O3, Nanoparticles,  Sol – Gel , Structural Properties, Rietveld refinement