Synthesis, characterization and magnetic properties of Fe3O4 doped chitosan polymer

•Chitosan polymers doped with Fe3O4 are prepared by the solution casting technique.•The structural, magnetic, and microwave absorption properties of the samples are analyzed.•The polymer behaves like a superparamagnetic material with high blocking temperature.•The effective magnetization shows gradual increments with the concentration of Fe3O4.•The microwave absorption characteristic shows low reflection loss.

Fe3O4 nanoparticles doped into chitosan films were prepared by the solution casting technique. Various samples were synthesized in atmospheric medium and in vacuum. The morphological properties of the samples were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The structural, magnetic, and microwave absorption properties of magnetic chitosan films have been carried out using the Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) and Ferromagnetic Resonance (FMR). It is shown that the composite polymer behaves like a superparamagnetic material with high blocking temperature. The effective magnetization shows gradual increments with the concentration of dopant Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The microwave absorption characteristic of superparamagnetic composite polymer shows low reflection loss.