Facile one-step fabrication of magnetite particles under mild hydrothermal conditions

• Magnetite and hematite particles were synthesized using hydrothermal route.
• The reactants and experimental parameters were optimized to get single phase magnetite particles.
• The role of d-Glucose as a reducing and capping agent is discussed.
• The magnetite particles showed very good free radical scavenging ability.
• The authors report a simple, facile, one-step method using hydrated ferric salt as a single iron precursor.

Hydrophilic magnetite particles for biological applications were synthesized by hydrothermal method in the presence of d-Glucose as both reducing and capping agent in a facile, one-step, low energy and environmentally friendly route. The role of d-Glucose as a reducing agent in the formation of magnetite particles under mild hydrothermal conditions has been investigated. The absence of d-Glucose results in the formation of hematite. The magnetite particles synthesized were characterized using powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, High Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (HR-SEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometery (VSM). The influence of the quantity of d-Glucose used and the reaction duration on the formation of magnetite were studied. DLS and HR-SEM results show that the size of the particles was in nano- to micron range. The antioxidant potency of the particles was confirmed using DPPH assay, where 2,2- Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl was used as a source of free radicals. Hence the magnetite particles obtained could be considered for the use in various biological applications.

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