One-step synthesis and properties of urchin-like PS/α-Fe2O3 composite hollow microspheres

A new progressive hard template method has been developed to synthesize uniform polystyrene (PS)/α-Fe2O3 composite hollow microspheres under hydrothermal conditions. Sulfonated polystyrene (PS) microspheres were used as templates as well as the endothecia of the composite microspheres; Fe2O3 shell was obtained through the reaction of FeSO4 and KClO3 under hydrothermal conditions. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies showed that the as-obtained products consist of large scale monodisperse urchin-like hollow microspheres. In comparison with the Fe2O3 of other structures, the composite hollow microspheres have good photocatalytic activity, large surface area and a high remanent magnetization. A possible mechanism for the formation of composite hollow microspheres is also proposed in the paper.