One-pot hydrothermal synthesis and magnetic properties of octahedral and clover-structured Fe3O4 by a Ce cation-assisted route

Magnetite Fe3O4 particles with octahedrons and clover-structures were synthesized by a facile one-pot hydrothermal method using a cerium cation-assisted route. After hydrothermal reaction at 180 °C, the crystalline structure, composition and morphologies of the products were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The results showed that the structure and morphology of the products can be tuned by altering the concentration of Ce(NO3)3 in the precursor solution. Furthermore, the magnetic performances of the products were evaluated on a vibrating sample magnetometer at room temperature. Magnetic studies reveal that the product with mixed structure of octahedrons and clover-structures exhibits high saturation magnetization with 89 emu/g and very low coercivity value with 33 Oe.

► We reported a facile preparation of magnetite Fe3O4 particles by the hydrothermal method.
► Cerium nitrate plays an important role in the formation of products.
► Complex structures formation of octahedral and clover-type is determined by SEM.
► As-obtained products show a soft-ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature.