Coincidence-site-lattice twist boundaries in bicrystalline α-Fe ₂O₃ nanoblades

Bicrystals are usually artificially designed to correlate the coincidence-site-lattice (CSL) configurations with the grain boundary property. Here, we report on CSL twist boundaries in bicrystalline α-Fe ₂O₃ nanoblades, possessing only three distinct Σ values of 7, 13, and 19. The existence of CSL boundaries with various Σ values in the two-dimensional (2D) α-Fe₂O₃ nanoblades provides a good opportunity to investigate the effects of different grain boundaries on their physical properties. It is shown that the electrical resistivity of individual nanoblade decreases with increasing Σ values of the CSL boundaries. Such 2D nanoblades may have practical appeal because their 2D geometries facilitate integration into devices with realistic pathways to manufacturing.