Silica is used in shell materials to minimize oxidation and aggregation of nanoparticles. Particularly, porous silica has gained attention because of its performance in adsorption, catalysis, and medical applications. In this study, to investigate the effect of the density of the silica coating layer on the color of the pigment, we arbitrarily change the structure of a silica layer using an etchant. We use NaOH or NH4OH to etch the silica coating layer. First, we synthesize α-FeOOH for a length of 400 nm and coat it with TEOS to fabricate particles with a 50 nm coating layer. The coating thickness is then adjusted to 30–40 nm by etching the silica layer for 5 h. Four different shapes of α-FeOOH with different colors are measured using UV–vis light. From the color changes of the four different shapes of α-FeOOH features during coating or etching, the L* value is observed to increase and brighten the overall color, and the b* value increases to impart a clear yellow color to the pigment. The brightest yellow color was that coated with silica; if the sample is etched with NaOH or NH4OH, the b* value can be controlled to study the yellow colors.

In this work, we synthesize brilliant yellow color α-FeOOH by controlling the rod length and core-shell structure. The characteristics of α-FeOOH nanorods are controlled by the reaction conditions. In particular, the length of the α-FeOOH rods depends on the concentration of the raw materials, such as the alkali solution. The length of the nanorods is adjusted from 68 nm to 1435 nm. Their yellowness gradually increases, with the highest b* value of 57 based on the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) Lab system, by controlling the nanorod length. A high quality yellow color is obtained after formation of a silica coating on the α-FeOOH structure. The morphology and the coloration of the nal products are investigated in detail by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and the CIE Lab color parameter measurements.

Abstract This manuscript reports on compared color evolution about phase transformation of α-FeOOH@SiO₂ and β-FeOOH@SiO2 pigments. Prepared α-FeOOH and β-FeOOH were coated with silica for enhancing thermal properties and coloration of both samples. To study phase and color of α-FeOOH and β-FeOOH, we prepared nano sized iron oxide hydroxide pigments which were coated with SiO2 using tetraethylorthosilicate and cetyltrimethyl-ammonium bro- mide as a surface modifier. The silica-coated both samples were calcined at high temperatures (300, 700 and 1000°C) and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, CIE L*a*b* color parameter measurements, transmission electron microscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. The yellow α-FeOOH and β-FeOOH was transformed to α-Fe2O3 with red, brown at 300, 700°C, respectively.

This manuscript reports on compared color evolution about phase transformation of α-FeOOH@SiO2 and β-FeOOH@SiO2 pigments. Prepared α-FeOOH and β-FeOOH were coated with silica for enhancing thermal properties and coloration of both samples. To study phase and color of α-FeOOH and β-FeOOH, we prepared nano sized iron oxide hydroxide pigments which were coated with SiO2 using tetraethylorthosilicate and cetyltrimethyl-ammonium bro- mide as a surface modifier. The silica-coated both samples were calcined at high temperatures (300, 700 and 1000°C) and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, CIE L*a*b* color parameter measurements, transmission electron microscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. The yellow α-FeOOH and β-FeOOH was transformed to α-Fe2O3 with red, brown at 300, 700°C, respectively.