
Iron oxides are
chemical compound
A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one ele ...
s composed of
iron
Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in ...
and
oxygen
Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as we ...
. Several iron
oxides are recognized. All are black magnetic solids. Often they are
non-stoichiometric.
Oxyhydroxides are a related class of compounds, perhaps the best known of which is
rust
Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture. Rust consists of hydrous iron(III) oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH), ...
.
Iron oxides and oxyhydroxides are widespread in nature and play an important role in many geological and biological processes. They are used as
iron ore
Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the ...
s,
pigment
A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic comp ...
s,
catalysts, and in
thermite
Thermite () is a pyrotechnic composition of metal powder and metal oxide. When ignited by heat or chemical reaction, thermite undergoes an exothermic reduction-oxidation (redox) reaction. Most varieties are not explosive, but can create br ...
, and occur in
hemoglobin
Hemoglobin (haemoglobin BrE) (from the Greek word αἷμα, ''haîma'' 'blood' + Latin ''globus'' 'ball, sphere' + ''-in'') (), abbreviated Hb or Hgb, is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein present in red blood cells (erythrocyte ...
. Iron oxides are inexpensive and durable pigments in paints, coatings and colored concretes. Colors commonly available are in the "earthy" end of the yellow/orange/red/brown/black range. When used as a food coloring, it has
E number
E numbers ("E" stands for "Europe") are codes for substances used as food additives, including those found naturally in many foods such as vitamin C, for use within the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Commonly ...
E172.
Stoichiometries

Iron oxides feature as
ferrous (
Fe(II)
In chemistry, iron(II) refers to the element iron in its +2 oxidation state. In ionic compounds (salts), such an atom may occur as a separate cation (positive ion) denoted by Fe2+.
The adjective ferrous or the prefix ferro- is often used to spe ...
) or
ferric
In chemistry, iron(III) refers to the element iron in its +3 oxidation state. In ionic compounds (salts), such an atom may occur as a separate cation (positive ion) denoted by Fe3+.
The adjective ferric or the prefix ferri- is often used to s ...
(
Fe(III)
In chemistry, iron(III) refers to the element iron in its +3 oxidation state. In ionic compounds (salts), such an atom may occur as a separate cation (positive ion) denoted by Fe3+.
The adjective ferric or the prefix ferri- is often used to spe ...
) or both. They adopt
octahedral or
tetrahedral coordination geometry. Only a few oxides are significant at the earth's surface, particularly wüstite, magnetite, and
hematite
Hematite (), also spelled as haematite, is a common iron oxide compound with the formula, Fe2O3 and is widely found in rocks and soils. Hematite crystals belong to the rhombohedral lattice system which is designated the alpha polymorph of ...
.
* Oxides of Fe
II
** FeO:
iron(II) oxide
Iron(II) oxide or ferrous oxide is the inorganic compound with the formula FeO. Its mineral form is known as wüstite. One of several iron oxides, it is a black-colored powder that is sometimes confused with rust, the latter of which consists ...
,
wüstite
* Mixed oxides of Fe
II and Fe
III
** Fe
3O
4:
Iron(II,III) oxide,
magnetite
Magnetite is a mineral and one of the main iron ores, with the chemical formula Fe2+Fe3+2O4. It is one of the oxides of iron, and is ferrimagnetic; it is attracted to a magnet and can be magnetized to become a permanent magnet itself. With ...
** Fe
4O
5
** Fe
5O
6
** Fe
5O
7
** Fe
25O
32[
**Fe13O19
* Oxide of FeIII
** Fe2O3: iron(III) oxide
*** α-Fe2O3: alpha phase, ]hematite
Hematite (), also spelled as haematite, is a common iron oxide compound with the formula, Fe2O3 and is widely found in rocks and soils. Hematite crystals belong to the rhombohedral lattice system which is designated the alpha polymorph of ...
*** β-Fe2O3: beta phase
*** γ-Fe2O3: gamma phase, maghemite
Maghemite (Fe2O3, γ-Fe2O3) is a member of the family of iron oxides. It has the same spinel ferrite structure as magnetite and is also ferrimagnetic. It is sometimes spelled as "maghaemite".
''Maghemite'' can be considered as an Fe(II)-defi ...
*** ε-Fe2O3: epsilon phase
Thermal expansion
Oxide-hydroxides
* goethite
Goethite (, ) is a mineral of the diaspore group, consisting of iron(III) oxide-hydroxide, specifically the "α" polymorph. It is found in soil and other low-temperature environments such as sediment. Goethite has been well known since ancient ...
(α-FeOOH),
* akaganéite (β-FeOOH),
* lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH),
* feroxyhyte (δ-FeOOH),
* ferrihydrite (Fe5HO8 · 4 H2O approx., or 5 Fe2O3 · 9 H2O, better recast as FeOOH · 0.4 H2O)
* high-pressure pyrite-structured FeOOH. Once dehydration
In physiology, dehydration is a lack of total body water, with an accompanying disruption of metabolic processes. It occurs when free water loss exceeds free water intake, usually due to exercise, disease, or high environmental temperature. Mi ...
is triggered, this phase may form FeO2H''x'' (0 < ''x'' < 1).
* green rust (FeFeOH3''x'' + ''y'' − ''z'' (A−)''z'' where A− is Cl− or 0.5 )
Reactions
In blast furnaces and related factories, iron oxides are converted to the metal. Typical reducing agents are various forms of carbon. A representative reaction starts with ferric oxide:
:
In nature
Iron is stored in many organisms in the form of ferritin, which is a ferrous oxide encased in a solubilizing protein sheath.
Species of bacteria
Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were am ...
, including '' Shewanella oneidensis'', '' Geobacter sulfurreducens'' and '' Geobacter metallireducens'', use iron oxides as terminal electron acceptors.
Uses
Almost all iron ores are oxides, so in that sense these materials are important precursors to iron metal and its many alloys.
Iron oxides are important pigments, coming in a variety of colors (black, red, yellow). Among their many advantages, they are inexpensive, strongly colored, and nontoxic.
Magnetite is a component of magnetic recording tapes.
See also
*Great Oxidation Event
The Great Oxidation Event (GOE), also called the Great Oxygenation Event, the Oxygen Catastrophe, the Oxygen Revolution, the Oxygen Crisis, or the Oxygen Holocaust, was a time interval during the Paleoproterozoic era when the Earth's atmospher ...
*Iron cycle
The iron cycle (Fe) is the biogeochemical cycle of iron through the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and lithosphere. While Fe is highly abundant in the Earth's crust, it is less common in oxygenated surface waters. Iron is a key micronutrien ...
* Iron oxide nanoparticle
*Limonite
Limonite () is an iron ore consisting of a mixture of hydrated iron(III) oxide-hydroxides in varying composition. The generic formula is frequently written as FeO(OH)·H2O, although this is not entirely accurate as the ratio of oxide to hydrox ...
*List of inorganic pigments
The following list includes commercially or artistically important inorganic pigments of natural and synthetic origin..
Purple pigments
Aluminum pigments
* Ultramarine violet: (PV15) - a synthetic or naturally occurring sulfur containing silic ...
References
External links
Information from Nano-Oxides, Inc. on Fe2O3.
Iron Oxide Pigments Statistics and Information
{{Authority control
Iron compounds
Iron oxide pigments
Transition metal oxides