Controllable Fabrication, Growth Mechanisms, and Photocatalytic Properties of Hematite Hollow Spindles

Hematite hollow spindles were successfully fabricated via an environmental friendly hydrothermal route at one step without employing any templates. The samples were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and N₂ adsorption−desorption. Influencing factors such as reaction temperature, pH value, and the ethylene glycol were systematically investigated. A possible formation mechanism was proposed. Because of the stable hollow structure, the hematite hollow spindles exhibited good photocatalytic property for phenol degradation and reusable feature.