Use of emanation thermal analysis in characterisation of nanosized hematite prepared by dry grinding of goethite

Hematite nanoparticles of narrow size distribution were prepared by grindin g of goethite. Intermediate and final products of grinding were characteris ed by different techniques, including the less-common emanation thermal ana lysis (ETA). ETA was shown to be a useful technique for characterising proc esses of surface annealing, initial sintering and growth of hematite partic les under in situ conditions of thermal treatment. A good agreement was fou nd between results of ETA, TG, XRD, IR spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, used for characterisation of t hermal behaviour of the goethite samples ground for varying time (0-70 h).