Synthesis, characterization and magnetic properties of carbon nanotubes decorated with magnetic MIIFe2O4 nanoparticles

In this study, a simple, efficient and reproducible microemulsion method was applied for the successful decoration of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with magnetic MIIFe2O4 (M = Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) nanoparticles. The structure, composition and morphology of the prepared nanocomposite materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The magnetic properties were investigated by the vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The SEM results illustrated that large quantity of MIIFe2O4 nanoparticles were uniformly decorated around the circumference of CNTs and the sizes of the nanoparticles ranged from 15 to 20 nm. Magnetic hysteresis loop measurements revealed that all the MIIFe2O4/CNTs nanocomposites displayed ferromagnetic behavior at 300 K and can be manipulated using an external magnetic field. The CoFe2O4/CNTs nanocomposite showed maximum value of saturation magnetization which was 37.47 emu g−1. The as prepared MIIFe2O4/CNTs nanocomposites have many potential application in magnetically guided targeted drug delivery, clinical diagnosis, electrochemical biosensing, magnetic data storage and magnetic resonance imaging.

► Magnetic carbon nanotubes were prepared by decorating with MIIFe2O4 nanoparticles. ► A simple microemulsion method was first time used for synthesis of MIIFe2O4/CNTs. ► Carbon nanotubes were uniformly coated with large number of magnetic nanoparticles. ► MIIFe2O4/CNTs nanocomposites show ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature.