A combined micro-Raman, X-ray absorption and magnetic study to follow the glycerol-assisted growth of epsilon-iron oxide sol-gel coatings

• One-pot sol-gel route to obtain ?-Fe 2 O 3 coatings using glycerol as a steric agent. Structural and magnetic correlations of iron oxides with densification temperature. Advanced characterization CRM XAS techniques. Epsilon oxide (?-Fe ) on Si(100) substrates are obtained by an easy one-pot recipe assisted in acid medium. Glycerol, given its small dimensions, enables the formation nanoparticles size few nanometers highest purity is reached after treatment at 960 °C. The structural compositional evolution up 1200 °C studied confocal Raman microscopy X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques, correlating existing properties. We report novel method, which allows monitoring precursor micelles well intermediate final phases formed. Furthermore, inherent industrial technology transfer process also demonstrated polymorph, impelling application form.