Radiation-Induced Synthesis and Superparamagnetic Properties of Ferrite Fe3O4 Nanoparticles

• Published in: Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 14; no. 12; p. 1015
• Main Authors: Zorai, Amel, Souici, Abdelhafid, Adjei, Daniel, Dragoe, Diana, Rivière, Eric, Ouhenia, Salim, Mostafavi, Mehran, Belloni, Jacqueline
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 12.06.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Absorption spectroscopy; Aqueous solutions; Coatings; coprecipitation; Electrons; Experiments; Fe3O4 nanoparticles; gamma radiolysis; High resolution electron microscopy; Iron oxides; Magnetic properties; Magnetite; Magnetization; Methods; Nanoparticles; Optical properties; Oxidation; pulse radiolysis; Radiation; Radiation effects; Radiation measurement; Room temperature; Superconducting quantum interference devices; superparamagnetic properties; Transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction; France
• ISSN: 2079-4991; 2079-4991
• DOI: 10.3390/nano14121015

Ultra-small magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles are successfully synthesized in basic solutions by using the radiolytic method of the partial reduction in FeIII in the presence of poly-acrylate (PA), or by using the coprecipitation method of FeIII and FeII salts in the presence of PA. The optical, structural, and magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were examined using UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and SQUID magnetization measurements. The HRTEM and XRD analysis confirmed the formation of ultra-small magnetite nanoparticles in a spinel structure, with a smaller size for radiation-induced particles coated by PA (5.2 nm) than for coprecipitated PA-coated nanoparticles (11 nm). From magnetization measurements, it is shown that the nanoparticles are superparamagnetic at room temperature. The magnetization saturation value Ms = 50.1 A m2 kg−1 of radiation-induced nanoparticles at 60 kGy is higher than Ms = 18.2 A m2 kg−1 for coprecipitated nanoparticles. Both values are compared with nanoparticles coated with other stabilizers in the literature.