Review Article
Open Access
Green Synthesis of Nano Iron Oxide particles from mild steel
S. Rajendran1*, S.S. Syed Abuthahir2 , S. Syed Zahirullah3 , C. Vignesh1 , K.J. Vikrant1, R. Vignesh1
1Department of Chemistry, RVS School of Engineering and Technology, Dindigul-624 005, India. E .
2PG & Research Department of Chemistry, Jamal Mohamed College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli-20, Tamilnadu, India.
3Department of Physics, MIET Engineering College, Trichy, Tamilnadu, India.
S. Rajendran et al /Int.J. Chemical Concepts. 2017,3(2),pp 196-200.
Abstract
The main oxidation states of iron are Fe2+ (ferrous) and Fe3+ (ferric). When these ions
interact with a base ferrous hydroxide (Green –Fe (OH)2 and ferric hydroxide (brown- Fe(OH)3 will be
produced. Conversion of Fe2+ into Fe3+ is very easy and it can take place even by oxygen present in air
or water (Aerial Oxidation). Iron hydroxides have been produced by electrochemical method. An
aqueous alkaline sodium chloride solution as electrolyzed using graphite cathode and mild steel anode
at room temperature. During this process a green precipitate of ferrous hydroxide was produced. During
electrolysis iron is converted into Fe2+ which reacts with OH- ion (NaOH) present in the solution. After
sometime the solution turned brown due to formation of ferric hydroxide. This oxidation is possible by
the presence of dissolved oxygen present in the solution. Moreover during electrolysis of sodium
chloride solution, Cl+ is produced which oxidizes ferrous into ferric. This ferric hydroxide has been
converted into other forms of iron oxide namely α-FeO(OH), γ-FeO(OH) and finally magnetic oxide of
iron (Fe3O4). These iron oxides have been analyzed by FTIR and SEM. The particle size of this iron
oxide is in the range of Nano particles. These iron oxides will be useful in agriculture. They will
increase the soil fertility various microorganisms which increase the soil fertility (Iron reducing
bacteria) namely Geobacter bemidjiensis, Geobacter metallireducens, Geobacter sulfurreducens,
Shewanella oneidensisMR-1 and Shewanella putrefaciens, etc., live on this iron oxides. The electron
released by these bacteria is accepted by ferric iron, whereby it is reduced to ferrous. Thus this ferrous
ferric iron equilibrium is very helpful for the metabolism of various microorganisms such as iron
reducing bacteria. These ferrous-ferric electron transfer equilibrium can be used to convert harmful Cr6+
into harmless Cr3+. This concept will bring revolution in tannery effluent treatment industry. This
process is an electrochemical process and it can be started and stopped at any time. Hazardous
chemicals are not used. The products are environmental friendly. Hence this process is considered as
green approach.
Keywords
Green Synthesis, Iron oxides, Nanoparticles, Soil fertility, environmental friendly process.