Effects of external magnetic field on the pulse electrosynthesis of iron nanoparticles

• Pulse current electrosynthesis of iron nanoparticles was studied through external magnetic fields.
• Magnetic field strongly affects the size, morphology and magnetic properties of iron nanoparticles.
• The saturation magnetization of iron nanoparticles increases when the magnetic field power increases.

A facile magnetic field assisted electrochemical method is introduced to synthesize the iron nanoparticles by pulse current electrosynthesis in the presence of magnetic fields of 0.4–1.6 T, superimposed to the surface of cathode. Depending on the magnetic field power and the position of magnets, effective changes have seen in the morphology, particle size and magnetic properties of iron nanoparticles, which are studied by XRD, SEM, TEM, DLS, and VSM. Based on the experimental results, the arrangement of magnets around the electrochemical cell is more important than the magnetic power. In the presence of a magnetic field of 0.8 T with local power of 48 mT exact on the electrode surface, iron nanoparticles with narrow range of particle size (10–15 nm) is produced in the cathode.