Synthesis of Fe3O4/CNTs magnetic nanocomposites at the liquid–liquid interface using oleate as surfactant and reactant

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-based magnetic nanocomposites have attracted significant research interest owing to their great potentialities in various technological fields. In this investigation, a kind of novel Fe3O4/CNTs magnetic nanocomposites were prepared by in situ chemical precipitation using oleate as reactant and surfactant at the liquid–liquid interface of cyclohexane/ethanol/water mixture solvent. The as-prepared samples were characterized via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and vibration sample magnetometry (VSM). Results indicated that the Fe3O4/CNTs magnetic nanocomposites dispersed well in organic medium were prepared organic medium, were prepared. The magnetic nanocomposites were proved to be superparamagnetic with coercive force of 3.69 Oe. A mechanism scheme was proposed to illustrate the formation process of the magnetic nanocomposites.