Tunable catalytic activities of different α-Fe2O3 surface areas in ammonium perchlorate thermal decomposition

Abstract

Different surface areas of α-Fe₂O₃ nanocrystals have been achieved by annealing at different temperatures. Obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller technique, and transmission electron microscopy. The surface areas of α-Fe₂O₃ nanocrystals changed from 136.5 m²/g to 2.1 m²/g with the increase of annealing temperature from 280 °C to 700 °C. α-Fe₂O₃ nanocrystal catalytic activity on the decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) was characterized through thermogravimetric analysis. The decomposition rate of AP with the addition of α-Fe₂O₃ nanocrystals was surface area relative. The 136.5 m²/g α-Fe₂O₃ nanocrystal exhibited the best catalytic activity, which lowered the high-temperature peak temperature of AP by 60.8 °C.